


The Nonsense of Loyalty

by MidorikoTheUnessasary



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, Major Original Character(s), Married Sex, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-09-30 16:29:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 44,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10167164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidorikoTheUnessasary/pseuds/MidorikoTheUnessasary
Summary: A demoness from Sesshomaru's past re-appears after having gone missing on a mission from Inu no Taisho. A century later, can absence make the heart grow fonder? Can burnt bridges be mended? Or will the sin's of the past threaten their fragile reunion? Takes place after the Final Act!





	1. The Return of the Mist

Chapter 1

The Return of the Mist

Kagome and Inuyasha swept from their contentment and idleness of marital bliss faced towards the Forest of No Return. There was a change. The knee weakening, sickening feeling of the approach of a great yoki making its way towards the village. This aura pungent and palpable unsettled them both as to delay their very movement.

Within it, there was a feeling, even a scent, familiar to Inuyasha. A sweetness underneath that which was putrid. He struggled to remember—agonized, as the scent grew closer and stronger but remained to his mind distant.

Kagome was the first to come to.

"INUYASHA! The village! Let's go! Come on!" Kagome leapt upon his back and grasped at the seam over his shoulders. She held a firm grip on her bow and a finger grazing the fletching of the first arrow it could come into contact with.

Right. Inuyasha bound toward the village. So much time had been lost. This great yoki had found its way at the very center.

From there, the couple could see Miroku scrambling away from Sango and his children, rushing into a state of preparation and Sango urged others to follow her example and remove themselves to their homes.

"Get inside, a great evil has made its way here! Please! Stay safe while it is being handled!" Sango found this new role very difficult. It was easier to overcome a demon than it is to overcome the foolhardiness of human curiosity. The villagers moved glacially indoors, craning their necks out of doorways to see what had gotten their great protectors in such a panic. Seeing, that for the most part they were out of the way, she rejoined her children.

"Kaede-baba, this must be the yoki of a great many youkai, is it not?" Miroku looked toward the priestess who had finally managed to separate herself from Rin in order to observe.

"Aye, it would certainly have to be…but where are they?"

It was true, beyond this great sensation that they all felt, nothing appeared.

"Show yourself demon!" Miroku's staff jerked about as he yelled into the empty alleys.

"However many there are...whatever it is…it's wounded" Kagome observed the other's agreement. It was certainly true, this youkai's aura had all of the tension of a desperate and frightened being—at least art of it. Was it two youkai attacking each other? No. The yoki seemed to be intermingled.

Inuyasha was unusually quiet. He could not figure out this scent. It was on the tip of his tongue, but it was so masked by everything else…all this white noise. Suddenly he erupted, "I don't have all day! Let's get this over with!"

A whimper.

"Please, help me…" This soft plea was found to be from the form a woman. Young, dressed in a simple yukata, and very pregnant and helpless looking. The strain on her face was as such to be pitied in its earnestness. She dropped to her knees, pleading with her eyes. No matter, this was their foe. It radiated off over her.

"This is the village of the hanyou, the son of Inu no Taisho?" Her eyes rested on the fire-rat clad hanyou.

"What's it to you, demon?"

The youkai looked down and touched her belly. "Please let me die now."

It became apparent to them, that most of this nefarious energy was coming from there. That was to be their concern.

A pulse. Suddenly, the demoness writhed in pain and spat dark blood from deep within her.

Everyone was frozen in anticipation. Kagome came down from Inuyasha's back and grabbed an arrow from her quiver…loosely aiming it at the youkai's stomach. This action snapped in Inuyasha a realization. He knew now.

"No Kagome, wait." Gently he rested a clawed hand on her wrist.

"What?"

The demoness gurgled and the veins pushed the elasticity of her skin. "Let me die!" The sounds of her agony pierced the air and sent a tremble through the spines of every villager huddled and clutching each other.

A separate yoki. Sesshomaru. The sky darkened and the great dog shot from the sky in such a glorious eruption of urgency with Jaken clutching at him.

Kaede stepped forward. "Sesshomaru-sama, I assure you, Rin is safe." He did not, however, acknowledge her, but rather looked toward Inuyasha.

"Brother—"

"Yeah, I smell her too"

This stirred such a confusion. "Will you both care to let us in on this?" Miroku's annoyance and confusion saturated the question, only to have the prospect of an answer interrupted by the demoness gagging.

"Stay out of this Monk. All of you."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed at the demoness. Gold. Gold began to pour forth from her mouth as she became enveloped in a monstrous cloud of smoke.

"Inuyasha! Do you know what's happening?" Kagome was in a panic and held tightly to the hanyou's arm.

"Sesshomaru is right. This has nothing to do with any of you. Get back."

The villagers could be heard gasping amongst themselves in awe of the glittering spew of coinage erupting from the spiraling column of fire making its way higher into the sky. Convulsing through it all, the specter arched into the trueness of her form. Looking overhead, the group saw the transformation into an enormous golden snake. Coursing through the sky with wobble….the great concern now was that it would crash into the village below.

Inuyasha rushed above to steer the reptile out of the path of the innocent below. All the while a hail of gold rained down, dangerously knocking about; mesmerizing every observer.

"KILL ME, Sons of Inu no Taisho!"

The snake's swollen stomach pulsed violently. Sesshomaru, flanking Inuyasha, called to him.

"Do not act foolishly half-breed"

"I'm not an idiot, Sesshomaru! Let me figure out how to get to her"

"If she is harmed; I will destroy you"

Inuyasha swung tessaiga overhead. He knew Sesshomaru was right, he had to be extremely careful as to not use too much power. He could feel Sesshomaru's gaze creeping into him as he re-sheathed tessaiga.

This youkai was too strong to use his claws alone, but her contents were too important to risk damaging with tessaiga.

"KILL M—"

"Bakusaiga!"

Sesshomaru shoved his brother from out of his way and drew his sword releasing a flurry of energy towards the snake.

"Sesshomaru! You bastard! Do you know what you've done?!"

As the snake disintegrated, even more coins ambled towards the earth causing the villagers to throw away caution and dash from their huts to collect as much of it as they could. They jubilated and exhausted the brothers. The daiyokai took no notice, choosing only to address his half-brother.

"You took too long. This Sesshomaru acted appropriately."

With a fertile silence the looked upwards as the debris tumbled from the sky. The elder brother could be trusted to have more precision and control in most things, but the delicate nature of this task and the corrosiveness of the attack made his earlier protestations to Inuyasha almost laughable.

To their relief they saw an orb of light gliding just above them and as it faded a thick mist made heavy the air around the entire village. Simultaneously the brothers uttered the whisper "Shinokiri."

There was no end of perturbment from all who watched—at least those not preoccupied in the skirmish over the litter of gold pieces flying everywhere.

"Who are you talking about?" Kagome, could not be more puzzled. In fact, she was a bit threatened by the focus the two brothers had on what or whoever was within the epicenter of the mist. As, the brothers began to move toward the eye of the fixture of clouds, from within it burst an inu taiyoukai. Magnificent and soaring the dog's red eyes aflame piercing through swathes of dark grey and black fur. The higher it got the more labored it's breathing until it halted entirely metamorphosing into a female humanoid form.

Seeming to float even as she was falling, masses of dark silk and grey hair billowed omnidirectionally, obscuring her figure. Sesshomaru stepped to catch her.

"Ah, Bakusaiga's attach did not reach her. Very impressive Sesshomaru-sama!" Myoga propelled himself onto the lord's armored shoulder.

"Pfft! Where were you hiding all this time coward?" Inuyasha stuffed the urge to accompany his question with a swift flick to the flea's body.

"Master Inuyasha! There's no need to be so hostile!" The flea jumped to hide in Kagome's hair. She herself was preoccupied by the demoness in Sesshomaru's arms. Pale with expected markings; an abstraction of a flower on her forehead. She looked ghostly in contrast to the dark grey of her hair, similar to that of the fur which lined the shoulders and sleeves of her navy kimono and hakama, which were printed with silver bamboo silhouettes.

Was it Shino Kiri or Shi no Kiri? The latter was far more likely a name of a youkai, perhaps the bamboo is just a pun. Kagome could not help but muse at her, why was she so important?

Shinokiri's amber eyes crept from their lids slowly peering outwards.

"Inuyasha, you've grown so well—the parcel...find the parcel...orange…it must be delivered" Almost completely drained she let her head fall back on the armored chest of the taiyokai holding her, though she made no effort to acknowledge him nor he her.

Inuyasha dashed about looking for this parcel, determined in his task until in his aspect he caught something. Orange and gold silk wrapped neatly around something of a hefty size for a package. It had landed almost neatly on the ground as if it had not just fallen from the sky.

"Kaede…can we look after her in your hut?" Inuyasha did not look to her face for an answer, instead bending down and intently picking up this brightly packaged object.

"Aye, if it is your wish"

Sesshomaru made his way to her hut before much of what Kaede said could exit her lips.

"Uh...alright…I guess I'll Jinenji….he'd know how best to help her." Kagome's voice fluctuated as if it were a question. She paused expectantly in Inuyasha's direction before letting the air escape from her lungs in a great sigh and moving on.

He'll tell me what this is all about in his own time I guess.

As things began to quiet down, Sango got the children and joined Miroku in the small procession to Kaede's hut. "What's happening? Is it safe Miroku?"

"I suppose, otherwise, Inuyasha would've said otherwise by now." The monk shrugged. "She's quite beau—," a fist found its way to Miroku's head and crumpled his body on to a pile for his children to squeal and giggle at. Sango kept going forward. "Hurry up you lecherous monk, we're falling behind!"

Rin ran from Kaede's hut upon seeing her guardian make his way towards it.

"SESSHOMARU-SAMA! MASTER JAKEN! It's so soon since you last visited!"

Kaede approached Rin. "Please prepare somewhere for the demoness to stay Rin, it seems we must nurse her"

"Huh?" It never occurred to Rin to look at what Sesshomaru was holding. "Oh….She's so pretty!"

"Rin! Insolent girl! Do as you are told! Lord Sesshomaru should not be sullied with the task of holding this creature all day!" Jaken leapt up from behind his master, bopping up and down in a typical rage.

"Be quiet Jaken"

"Yes, M'lord"

Making his way inside, Sesshomaru scanned the hut briefly as Rin laid out a place for him to set the demoness down. Both he and Inuyasha were clouded within the moment, not able to say or do much in the thickness of the situation. As he set her down, propping her head up, Inuyasha placed the parcel beside her and took his place kneeling beside his brother, looking at the limp feminine body before them. Kagome soon stumbled in behind everyone with Jinenji, cradling herbs. The hut was now cramped and hot though no one made any motion to relieve themselves and depart for fresh air. Myoga spoke up from Inuyasha's shoulder.

"M'lady you are a bit late. You should've been here about 4 years ago"

A weak smile appeared on the demoness' lips.

"The snake was very stubborn…besides, I gave it some time to be sure."


	2. The Demoness and her Mysterious Package

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sections in bold are flashbacks.

Chapter 2

The Demoness and her Mysterious Package

"Shinokiri. You waste your time speaking to the flea. Rest," Sesshomaru stated his command succinctly as he flicked the flea across the room.

"No! Screw that! How long were you in that thing?!" Inuyasha stood up in a passion looking down at Shinokiri in confused anger.

"Since last I saw you"

"100 years?!"

Shinokiri nodded. The crowd amassed as an audience froze in excited befuddlement. What could possibly be going on in front of them?

Inuyasha bent down impossibly low to face fever-dewed her. "When you said you had to leave to carry out my father's will…you meant you were going to sit in a big ass snake's belly for 100 goddamn years?!"

Sesshomaru massaged his temples before dryly saying, "Little brother, your yelling is insufferable"

"Shaddupp Seshomaru!"

"What a strange and wonderful sight," Shinokiri mused at the two brothers in awe. "Your father would've enjoyed this." The amusement in her eyes quickly faded as she drowned in a fit of her own coughing.

The demon lord stood up, his movement slicing through the band of observers in the hut. "We should all leave the two priestesses and the hanyou to their work." He did not turn to look behind him, only leaving in accordance with his own command.

Inuyasha stomped off in frustrated agreement, followed by the bemused posse. All but Jinenji, Kagome, and Kaede had left the hut (as was instructed). The children, including Rin, had gone off play nearby while the others waited: the two brothers waited for news of the demoness; the others waited for an explanation.

"So Inuyasha, how are you acquainted with that phenomenally attractive lady?" Sango glared at her husband, but let his comment slide, her curiosity was much more pressing than the ache in her palm to slap Miroku across the face.

Inuyasha merely grunted, letting his back fall into the grass. His focus was now on the clouds.

"Well, since Inuyasha seems to prefer to be mum at the moment, I suppose I could fill you in. Explaining things is not his strong suit…anything mental in general is not his strong suit"

Inuyasha went to slap the flea from his feeding post on his neck, but missed. Myoga hoped into the field of vision of those around him, perching on Miroku's staff. Sango, Miroku, and Jaken leaned in intent to catch his every word.

"Lady Shinokiri had been tasked by Inu no Taisho himself with two special tasks— second being the procurement and protection of a gift upon Inu no Taisho's death, only to be delivered when the two sons had learned to cooperate with one another. It seems as though it was within the serpent Kogane, known for her greed. Lady Shinokiri must have allowed herself to be swallowed in order to keep the parcel safe until those two stubborn messes sorted themselves out. Master Inuyasha was just a pup when she left. I'm sure after all this time, even Lord Sesshomaru is relieved to have her back"

"Why on earth would someone as marvelous as my Lord Sesshomaru demean himself by caring about the fate of that lowly female?" The assumption had angered Jaken, and as such he did not he did not expect the swift blow he received at Sesshomaru's hand.

"M'lord?!"

Sesshomaru looked off into the distance and began to walk a meager measure of space away in order to separate himself for sake of his thoughts.

"Imp." Myoga hopped on to Jaken's fallen form. "I'm surprised you were never told. Lady Shinokiri is Lord Sesshomaru's mate."

"WAH?!" The flea's audience exclaimed in chorus. Jaken sat quickly back up as Sango and Miroku fluttered about in the weight of the revelation.

"I never thought someone like Sesshomaru would hold such an interest" Sango commented, her face creased in conjecture with how outlandish the notion seemed.

"Well my dear, all males have that weakness, though I must admit that I too am surprised"

"Foolishness Monk! The woman is right, Lord Sesshomaru is above that sort of thing; he couldn't possibly have a mate"

Myoga laughed at the imp's proclamation.

"Believe it or not, she is, in fact, his mate. Though it was arranged by his father, so it's fair to say that Lord Sesshomaru had no real say in the matter. Anyway, Lady Shinokiri acted more on the great Dog Lord's behalf than she ever did for Lord Sesshomaru. That is why he entrusted her with such important tasks."

"Myoga..." Sango interjected. "You never told us of the first task."

"Ah yes, 200 years ago at the death of Inu no Taisho…"

**Myoga, Totosai, and Saya had been huddled around each other mourning the loss of their great ruler when Shinokiri approached.**

**"** **Now that you have decided the fate of the Sounga, give me the black pearl Myoga"**

**Totosai looked up at the demoness. "Lady Shinokiri, how do we know you will not aid Lord Sesshomaru in finding tessaiga."**

**Shinokiri glowered. "Do not insult me. I will fulfill my purpose. Inu no Taisho entrusted this to me…do you question his will?"**

**Her hair bristled with a sort of static underlying rage. The only real sign she'd give off the intensity of her feelings in that moment.**

**Totosai bowed in defeat. "Of course not my lady"**

**"** **Good," Shinokiri looked at the burnt remains of the castle surrounding her and felt a heaviness in her chest.**

**_I will do as you command and honor your great memory Inu no Taisho._ **

**With that, Myogo threw the black pearl into the demoness' grasp and watched her diminish into the distance through a thickening screen of fog.**

Miroku's eyes widened as he queried, "So, she's the one the placed the black pearl in Inuyasha's eye?"

"How dare she stoop so low as to betray Lord Sesshomaru in such a despicable way?!" Jaken beamed with righteousness before quickly succumbing to the daggering look of disapproval given to him by his master.

Sesshomaru looked down to brood and search his memories.

**"** **You are mine. I take precedence. Tell me the location of my father's grave"**

**Sesshomaru tried fervently to not let his anger be shown, he would not let her know his desperation.**

**"** **Seeing, but never seen; protected, yet never known to its protector." Shinokiri let out the ghost of a laugh. "That is what your father told me to tell you."**

**Shinokiri reached above her high ponytail to an ornament in her long gray hair. Acting as an enchanted scabbard sheathing an awesomely gargantuan naginata which had been pulled out just in time to block Sesshomaru's poison whip.**

**He charged at her with a barrage of lethal light but her great weapon kept him at a distance.**

**"** **I have no time for this my lord. The sooner I meet my obligations the sooner I am exclusively useful to you."**

**"** **You were never such a thing as useful"**

**Shinokiri took in a mammoth breath and from out her nostrils poured a cascade of mist obscuring the young lord's vision as to leave his final thrust of his whip empty and his mate departed.**

"I can't believe she put the damn thing in my eye and never even told me"

Inuyasha's voice rang through the air, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Your father's instructions were always unusual Master Inuyasha" The flea nervously scratched the back of his neck.

Sango bristled with the momentum to speak up. "So, if those were her two tasks…why did she wait 100 years to start the second one?"

Myoga perked up in the thrill of the attention he was receiving. "As I recall, she had made a secondary promise to Inu no Taisho that she'd keep an eye on Izayoi-hime and Master Inuyasha for as long as possible or at least until she found this supposed gift. You see, she had no idea where it was when the great lord met his untimely end. Master Inuyasha was still a pup when she left, though his mother had passed long before that."

**"** **Kiri-chan?"**

**The small hanyou looked up into his guardian's eyes and in them his own were reflected; full of questions. She took her time to respond, meeting his gaze across the fire.**

**"** **Hn"**

**"** **Why can't I stay with you all of the time? It's scary and lonely when you're not around."**

**"** **You are safer out of my presence."**

**"** **Nuh-uh. I can't hunt as well as you, and everyone picks on me when you're not around—is it because I'm a half-breed?"**

**"** **Your brother…he makes things complicated…eat."**

**Inuyasha, hesitated, still unsatisfied, but soon turned his attention back to his food. It was the new moon…the only time he was sure to see her. He knew by morning she'd be gone again.**

**When he finished he clumsily ran into Shinokiri's arms.**

**"** **You wish to sleep now?"**

**He nodded up at her. "Where will you go when you leave tomorrow?"**

**"** **I found something your father had wanted me to take care of, that is what I must do."**

**"** **When will you finish doing that? When will I see you again?"**

**"** **I don't know Inuyasha"**

**The pup used a single clawed finger to gently trace the magenta stripes across each cheek as he drifted into sleep.**

Agitated, Inuyasha got up with purpose and rapped his knuckles against Kaede's hut.

"What are you guys doing that's taking so long?! You could at least give us a damn update!"

"OSUWARI"

Inuyasha plummeted face first into the ground groaning with his feet flung above his head.

Miroku's gaze fell on his wife. "Can you imagine? An entire century in the belly of a foul serpent with no guarantee of respite…"

Sango twisted her mouth in consternation and concurred. "To think…she had to wait on those two to sort their rubbish out…it must have been unmitigated torture…Why not get whatever it is she had to get from inside the youkai's belly and leave?"

Jaken piped up haughtily, "Perhaps she was just too weak to leave once she'd made her way inside."

Myoga rolled his eyes at the very thought and chuckled. "That demon would be no match for Lady Shinokiri. She thought it was too risky to move it as it would draw attention. Kogane, herself, did not understand the importance of what was contained within her. She just blindly swallowed it like the greedy idiot she was."

Jaken chewed on his top lip and furrowed his entire face within itself before finally asking, "What is this thing exactly…and who is it for?"

Myoga started to stammer and stutter and sputter, "I-I uh, well, you see…the thing is, ugh…no one ever told me that part.

Miroku worked up his courage. "Well, do either of you know…Inuyasha? Lord Sesshomaru?"

"The old man, didn't like let us in on anything, I guess." Inuyasha brushed himself off receiving a nod from Sesshomaru in agreement.

Kaede slowly emerged into the light of the outside with Jinenji.

"Thank you for all of your help Jinenji"

The hanyou made a small bow to the old priestess and nodded his goodbyes to everyone else. The children scrambled towards him fighting to receive the most attention for their goodbye as Sango and Miroku waved.

Kaede stood in the doorway. "Well, come in then, she's still strong enough to stay conscious, despite it all. I suppose you want to see her, she'd like to see you," Kaede's eyes were fixed on the two pairs of amber eyes on her.

Quickly, the two brother's entered the hut while everyone else hovered by the door. Kagome and Kaede exited alongside them. Kagome paused to look at Inuyasha briefly before Sango took her in hand to quietly fill her in on all that had been revealed.

Shinokiri still looked very weak, it seemed that her limbs had experienced some atrophy, but the color was returning to her face, and this eased the tension within the two brothers. Their father's swords quivered at their sides, as if to speak to the demoness.

"So, you both have defeated great foes together, and have put aside your differences once and for all. Inu no Taisho would be very pleased."

Inuyasha's annoyance got a hold of him, "And how exactly would you know? It's not like you've been around? Too busy following the old man's instructions to the letter like you can't think for yourself."

"I know that you felt abandoned Inuyasha. You had to fend for yourself…I am sorry"

Shinokiri looked truly remorseful as she took Inuyasha's hand in hers.

"It wasn't because I am a half-breed."

"No"

Inuyasha chewed on the answer. He would let it go. There wasn't much else he could ask of a demon. They weren't known to be the most contrite or loving folk, but she had cared in her own way.

"Tell me Sesshomaru, do you have someone to protect?"

Her attention was now fixed on the elder brother. He did not answer. "What is it that you have to deliver?"

"It is the girl, is it not? Rin? It is shocking that you are so much like your father in that way," she smiled, a small unconvincing smile.

**Shinokiri blazed through the forest following her master's scent. She had never thought to find Inu no Taisho with a small human child. It threw her off of her mental equilibrium, making her forget about the task at hand.**

**"** **My Lord?"**

**He did not turn around. Instead, he cupped the little girl's face in his hands as he knelt to talk to her.**

**"** **Izayoi, it is not safe in the forest. Leave."**

**The girl frowned, but followed his orders after leaving a flower behind his ear as a token. The great dog's attention then shifted to the demoness.**

**"** **An envoy my Lord, from the south, he wishes to see you."**

**In the confusion of that moment, she would not know the significance of that child and how it would bring about the demise of such a powerful leader. Still, she did see the change in her master…how gentle he was in that moment. She'd never know how they met or how the child found her way into the daiyoukai's heart, but she would be swept into their story like so many other beings seemed to have been.**

"Your honorable father bestowed on me the great fortune of bestowing you with a gift." She motioned for the bright silken orange object to be brought to her. Sesshomaru placed it in her lap and waited expectantly.

"In recognition of your new found compassion and understanding, this instrument is to ensure that the object of your favor be protected even when you are unable to do so yourself," and with a slight flourish she removed the silk unveiling an ornate though worn out looking 25-string koto.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and Inuyasha's mouth gaped open.

"The fuck, kiri-chan?" Inuyasha's confusion soon was replaced with raucous laughter. "Hahahaaha! Is Rin supposed to scare demons off with her lack of talent?"

Seshomaru's mouth convulsed into a display of gritted teeth. His fists were balled up so tight that blood began to trickle down. "You dare waste my time."


	3. Oto no Joka Kabe

Chapter 3

Oto no Joka Kabe

In that moment, the weariness on Shinokiri's face had shown more than she cared for it to. Seeing this Inuyasha came to stasis, quieting his grand amusement in the unconscious memory of her Shinokiri being an authority. "Do not exasperate my patience Sesshomaru-sama. Have more faith in your great father than that!"

The demoness extended her index finger, using only her claw to gently gate at a string of the instrument. This sweet faint singular sound hollowly echoed in the room. It would be unnoticeable if a stunning chill had not been sent straight through the bodies of the two brothers, like an electric shock. From above a moth fell to the ground; sizzling and burnt.

Shinokiri's hands glided over each carved relief on the body of the instrument, careful only to hover over the strings. Bluebells. Knots of bluebells showered the dark wooden base of the koto's face. She admired it with great ceremony. _Bell…Rin…As if the Inu no Taisho had seen into his son's life beyond his very own._

"Oto no joka kabe…when struck, each string, each note, produces a purifying barrier. When mastered, not even tessaiga can penetrate its barrier. The child will be protected without the sullying filth of bloodshed. Any enemy shall simply be eviscerated if that be her will."

She extended the koto out to Sesshomaru to take, and in taking it he placed it back in its silk covering. Only the sloppiness of his wrapping of the instrument betrayed how offended he was. The fabric half covered it, slipping off and askew.

"She has no need of that. This Sesshomaru warrants no help"

"There is always a need, even with you as her protector. Do you reject this gift? Have I made this sacrifice for naught?" Her eyes met his in challenge. Locked in this battle neither backed down.

**Inu no Taisho clutched on to his mate to steady himself and pressed the Meido stone into her hands.**

**"** **How could you Inu no Taisho? You will risk your life and abandon me just to witness your bastard's birth," his mate chided in an inappropriate amusement.**

**"** **Regardless of where I am, I am not long within this realm. Do you remember what I had asked of you?"**

**"** **Yes, even if he seems in danger, yes."**

**Sincerity flashed across the great demoness' face as she nuzzled into the great dog's neck for the last time.**

**"** **Go then," She has accepted this long ago.**

**Inu no Taisho stumbled backwards before straightening up. He could not afford to let slip how very weak he was in this moment. His glance then fell on Shinokiri. Faithful Shinokiri.**

**"** **I trust you to do as I said"**

**"** **No matter what, my lord, exactly as you said." She bowed low as a massive sadness erupted through her. She may never see such a powerful force in this world again. She would savor these last moments as much as she could.**

**With the reassurance of both females, Inu no Taisho leapt from the castle in the sky. Both followed the diminuendo of his yoki into the chasm.**

**The elder woman stroked the ponytail of the younger in distant rumination gently raking strands of it in her claws before pausing.**

**"** **How silly" she breathed as Shinokiri blinked slowly. "Gobodo-sama?"**

**"** **Never mind Shinokiri, this is the way of the world," and with a meager pivot she retired into the interior of the castle.**

It was the hanyou who broke the silence. "Don't be an ass Sesshomaru. Just because pops never actually gave anything cool to you directly doesn't mean you should behave like a spoilt brat. Stop being bitter." Inuyasha got up gruffly. "Kagome! Let's go home!"

The collection of eavesdroppers at the door poked their heads through whatever opening they could find with a synchronized "Bye Shinokiri-hime!" Kagome, in addition, hurriedly re-entered the hut with a jerky bow and cheerfully rang, "Get better soon one-san! We'll check on you tomorrow," before escaping the furrowed brows of the two inuyokai on the floor inside.

"Ugh, don't be gross Kagome"

"What?! I was only being nice!"

Kagome ran after the huffing hanyou, eventually joining in the excited chatter of the gang as they made their way to their homes. Only Kaede, Jaken, and Rin were left over to hesitantly spill into the hut, quite aware of a questionable tension abound. Against her better judgement, Kaede took a breath to speak.

"Will you be staying with us Lord Sesshomaru?"

The great dog looked to his impish companion who clambered upright on his own staff.

"His Lordship is grateful for your assistance priestess! We will return!"

His silver hair swept over his estranged mate as he left with his servant.

"Goodbye Lord Sesshomaru," Rin waved in a manner fit to make her very arm take flight without her. Her enthusiasm for the demon was taken in by the demoness and the priestess.

"Rin"

The low sweet feminine sound startled the girl out of her enamored daze. With a jump she twisted her body toward the lady youkai.

"Shinokiri-hime?"

Kaede watched the interaction with apprehension and strain. Her old heart could not take the emotional activity it was being placed under in just one day.

"In the corner," she lazily pointed toward the half wrapped koto with a limp wrist. "One day, you must master that instrument. In the meantime, tomorrow you will find a koto master, and have him tutor you with a human instrument. Do you understand?"

Rin nodded with great vigor.

Her body had extended itself enough for the day, she still could even flex the muscles in her legs. She was stuck under the tolerant kindness of the inhabitants of this hut and the village it was in. An unfamiliar predicament for so powerful a youkai.

"Are you Lord Sesshomaru's wife?"

Every muscle and every tendon in the old priestess' decrepit body seized. _Kami, can I survive this nonsense?_

The inu youkai only let her head fall to the right of her, peering in the direction of the view of the window, but looking at nothing in particular.

"I suppose, if that is how humans put it, yes, something to that effect"

Rin gulped an exited intake of breath and girlishly squealed, "How romantic?"

Shinokiri arched a delicate brow in reply.

**Her blood pounded, stampeded through her veins. It drummed in her ears and griped tightly at her heart. Air was hard to come by. The great lord had summoned her with such formality as to demand panic. She lay prostrate, hands so sweaty as to have her feel as if they were slipping from the earth on the flat cold stone floor.**

**"** **Shinokiri…you have given me many years of commendable service, and in recognition of that fact, I shall bestow upon you a great honor."**

**Shinokiri dare not look up. Her excitement adhered her forehead to the floor more in anxiety than reverence.**

**"** **You will bear the future offspring of my heir, and as such, you will always have status and clout in my lands."**

**"** **I am not deserving of such favor my lord!" She all but vomited the words out. Her face felt exceedingly hot. This was a most unexpected turn of events.**

**"** **Sesshomaru," the clear voice of Inu no Taisho's mate rang out beckoning to her son. "Are you not thrilled at the prospect of such an intriguing female as your own? She is most acceptable, is she not?"**

**Shinokiri in all of her state of sensory overload, could feel the lack of any sort of excitement coming from the aforementioned male. Without lifting her head. Her brows lifted as a curtain would, pressing her nose down to lift her eyes further off the ground. She could see his indifference even in his feet.**

**"** **What would possess you to think that this is what I wanted?"**

**Inu no Taisho shifted in discomfort and emerging anger, "Do you question my judgement?"**

**"** **Always," and with a whip of his hair, the future lord of the western lands eft the room in gelatinous state of awkward silence.**

**_Is this to be my life? Is this my reward?_ **

The little girl's hands felt good in her hair. Rin cooed in delight at the shiny soft strands slipping through her fingers, not even holding a braid. It had been so long without contact with another living thing, floating around in the empty spaces of a serpent, that the few brief exchanges of touch she had today were precious. Even to her; a demon. She luxuriated in those tiny hands, as she did, in spite of herself, have somewhat of a fondness for children…human or otherwise.

"When you are better…will you travel with Lord Sesshomaru and Master Jaken?"

"Most likely not?"

"But aren't husbands and wives supposed to live together?"

Rin could feel an upsetting dose of reality coming her way. He mouth tensed in readiness to the response, but it never really came in the way she expected.

"That's for humans, we are not human"

A patter rather than a thud. A very soft blow indeed. This, Rin could handle.

"So my koto is magical?"

"Yes"

"When do I get to use it?"

"When I am sure you won't kill anyone by accident"

Rin gulped. "Oh…ok…will I learn on another koto then"

"Presumably"

"Then I shall do my best and be a great koto player for Lord Sesshomaru!"

Rin's eyes were filled with steely determination as she tightly clutched the demoness' hair, tugging at her ponytail unconsciously.

"Girl"

"Oh! Sorry Shinokiri-hime! I got carried away!" Rin quickly and contritely released her hair and Shinokiri made a humming sigh to reassure the child.

"Lord Sesshomaru said I must stay here and be with my own kind, like Kaede-baba, until I am old enough. Then I can decide if I want to stay with him or not. I don't think it matters though…now that you're here! You can be like my mom, and we can be like a real family, even if we don't have a house"

Rin's eyes darted excitedly at Shinokiri's face.

_What does he intend to do with this child? What does she mean 'old enough to decide'? Is she like Izayoi? Is he just waiting until she's old enough to bed? What a peculiar family trait…to be drawn to the innocence of children so…to fall in love with humans…to breed with them._

**"** **My lord, we must lea—"**

**A large obviously strong hand elegantly cut Shinokiri off with a wave. Inu no Taisho's gaze never left Izayoi.**

**"** **You have grown into a fine woman Izayoi"**

**Shinokiri observed her nervous fidgeting and blushing as he took the human's hands into his own. Izayoi, within the incremental visits she had been privy to, had truly become a beautiful woman, and Inu no Taisho's gaze steadily changed from the melting affection bestowed upon a precocious child to the singular fixed leer of a wanton male. Even though it was softened by honest affection to her person, Shinokiri could tell that Inu no Taisho had come to desire Izayoi in a completely altered manner.**

**She twisted her heel into the ground impatiently and tried to find a direction to stare in, any direction but there's. This sort of interaction was alien and unnatural to her. She had never known such obvious and mutual affection.**

"I don't know if that will work out like you want it to Rin"

"I think you should think about it. It wouldn't hurt. I'm a good girl. You won't mind me! And we'd have so much fun toge—"

"Rin, come have your dinner and leave Shinokiri-hime be. She needs to rest"

Kaede shuffled to her with a covered bowl.

"My lady, I have saved for you the organs of an ox: heart, lungs, liver…" Kaede trailed off twisting around the bowl as she needlessly reviewed the contents. "I imagine this will give you much needed strength…after all, there could not have been much to eat within the serpent."

Kaede let out a nervous chuckle. She did not understand how right she was…a century picking at the sloppily masticated remains of a lesser youkai's meal.

"I am humbled by your consideration, and forever grateful to you for your kindness…having done nothing to deserve it."

"Aye, well, I owe it to Inuyasha. He obviously holds you in high regard."

"Yes, Inuyasha"

Shinokiri absentmindedly took hold of the bowl of raw meat and made an attempt to demurely pick at it. She was awash with feelings of guilt. She has always tried to keep a respectable distance from the hanyou. Partially for his sake, but mostly for hers. She despised her own fondness for the creature, one that she had been taught should never exist. Still, she did grow fond of him, and felt a duty towards him, beyond what her deceased lord had asked of her. Her prolonged absence was not fair to him, and even from within her putrid cell, she felt masses of guilt and worry over the hanyou. Hoping to one day see him again. She was glad at her renewed opportunity. Her affliction had worked out to be a convenient excuse to make up for how remiss she was in her treatment of him—how much she had missed, how greatly her absence…lack of protection exposed him to the unforgiving cruelty of this world.

At least this, she could remedy.


	4. Being Taken In

Chapter 4

Being Taken In

**Bangs, with longer hair loose at the sides, ponytail high…that's how she always wore her hair. As a pup, and now as a great and formidable yokai, this was it. Should she change it for now…it was a special occasion after all? Something more elaborate? Should she change it to please him? She let the thought slip from her mind as she secured her only ornament in her hair. It was the source of her greatest feelings of security, her naginata, not a powerful weapon on its own, only enchanted to slide from its sheath in her hair; to go from minuscule fascination to gigantic and lumbering. It didn't need to be special or named. It was special in her expert hands. No master had forged it with pools of yoki streaming through the blade. It was heavy and big in its true form, standing much taller than herself, even with her impressive height.**

**She could look her betrothed in the eyes. She was proud of that. She'd never have to gaze up at him mystified like a wounded deer as it was deemed normal for all females to do. He was her prize. She had won him. That's how she saw it. All of her bowing and scraping. All of the pointless battles and near scrapes with death. She had proved her loyalty and in return, she was given a place of outrageous influence.**

**It did not matter to her the minutia. It shouldn't. She did not like him, she did not know him, nor did any of that matter. It especially didn't matter whether or not he was pleased with anything about her. They would do their duty. Produce heirs to the lands she and Inu no Taisho's other allies had shed blood to acquire for him. It would all belong to her child one day…in that thought she was giddy and slowed her diaphragm. Such eagerness was unbecoming in someone of her newly acquired importance.**

**She heard his footsteps, smelt him making his way towards her. Such a sweet smell. He was handsome, and she lucky. Who knew is he was good company. It didn't matter. There was always his father for mental stimulation. When a mate is chosen for one, such arbitrary things as attractiveness are usually left aside. She had reached the final plateau, there would be no more hardship…only reward.**

**She knelt and slid the door open, not looking up, only feeling the subtle movement of air being displaced as he entered her chambers. Closing it back again, she removed herself from her place at the door and went further inward, knees touching her bed. She kept her head down. She could not look up until she managed to steady her heartbeat.**

**"** **I will not breed you"**

**Shinokiri could hear a shattering sound between her ears.**

**"** **My lord?"**

**"** **Offspring are competition. I cannot afford that until I have surpassed my father"**

**She could feel a sharp pain and a metallic warmth in her mouth; noting that in rage she had bitten off part of the flesh inside of her cheeks. She repositioned her teeth to clench against each other, but the force threatened to break them.**

**"** **I was promised this as my reward. Will you deny me that Sesshomaru-sama?"**

**"** **Yes. It is my will"**

**"** **Is it that my appearance displeases you?"**

**"** **I have already explained"**

**"** **Do you question your father's judgement? Do you disrespect him by denying him….by disobeying him?"**

**"** **I will not repeat myself"**

**Shinokiri's chest tightened.**

**"** **So, then what am I to do in this liminal period, my lord? While I wait for you to try and out piss your father…"**

**Her head shot up to meet his gaze, she was blazing and livid, and there was no satisfaction in the return of his cold stare.**

**"** **I will keep you."**

**"** **For?"**

**"** **I do not wish to have further arrangements thrown at me. I will keep you, mate you, but you will not become with child"**

**Her neck crooked with incredulity.**

**"** **How?"**

**"** **We cannot mate in our true forms"**

**If he still mated with her, she'd at least have some security in her position. The deal would be cemented. She'd just have to wait…better to have him on her side. No subterfuge. Soon enough, she hoped, he would come to his senses. At some point, he'd have to be rational….reasonable. Inu no Taisho would have to die for him to even get close to his greatness, not even to surpass him.**

**_Perhaps he intends a coup._ **

**She felt uneasy at the thought of getting caught up in something so foolish, but there was no way he was that stupid.**

**"** **Fine, if that is your intention…once we mate by your honor it must be by offspring that take their roles as your heirs. If this is some ploy to breed another female…one you prefer…it cannot work. You have been promised to me."**

**Sesshomaru scoffed at the idea.**

**"** **Carnal desire is a weakness. This Sesshomauru will one day overcome it until then I will use mating as a tool to get what I want if I must"**

**_He would only mate with me out of duty then…good. May it be few and far between, but…_ **

**"** **Why bother to bed me at all?"**

**Shinokiri swelled with anticipation. She was surprised she let the question tumble out of her mouth in such a clunky fashion.**

**"** **Inu no Taisho will know my meaning. He will know I made a mockery of his orders."**

**Sesshomaru sat beside her and brushed her loose hair aside, exposing her neck to stroke it.**

**"** **You said overcome…my lord still has this weakness? Of carnal desire?"**

**Shinokiri's body shuddered at his touch, at her own impertinence as well.**

**"** **This Sesshomaru will allow you as his only outlet. You are convenient, but when I have accomplished my goals, you will no longer be needed and I will be rid of you…"**

**"** **Are you saying I please you then…physically?"**

**"** **You are satisfactory"**

**It was a start. If he bed her enough then eventually he would become lax and impregnate her. It was a waiting game. She could do that—perhaps. She really didn't know. She was pure…a testament to her power really. It was not for lack of trying in suitors…but she had waited and fought to deserve what she had now and she would continue to see that it followed through.**

**Sesshomaru's hands moved up to the top of her ponytail where she gently took his hand in hers to stop him.**

**"** **Only I can remove it, my lord"**

**She said this in reference to the trinket atop her head. It was true, a part of the charm of the thing, though it had no real power to speak of. She placed it beside her, all the while feeling the slightness of his breath against her neck. Not in an overbearing way as to repulse her, but she was too overwhelmed, too daunted by the prospect of the unknown. What she had to do now.**

**He began to remove her obi. She wasn't quite sure what to do.**

**_Just stay still. He will tell you what he wants._ **

**She had it like a mantra in her head until it only became a rhythmic beat rather than the instructions of an inner voice.**

**She turned to him, and she could feel it. There was that look, the wounded deer look. She knew she had it, and she hated herself for it. Even worse, in return his eyes. Those amber eyes were dead, he was no longer there by going through the ritualistic motions dictated by his body's must base functions…his lust.**

**He had slowly, very deliberately pushed most of the fabric away. Exposing her to him. He guided her down onto the bed with a gentle push of his hand.**

**Her kimono, made special for her for this very moment, was ultimately valueless. It only covered her arms now, open, only acting as an expensive lining between her and the bed now.**

**His eyes drank her in. He had lied. She was more than satisfactory, but he thought it best to keep to himself how much so. He found how weak he was in this moment repugnant, and so he took his time, to establish some control in the matter. She'd be the only one, he could not expose himself thus to several people, he didn't see the attraction to such behavior. He would prove himself superior to Inu no Taisho in this as precedent, before moving on to surpass him in everything else. He would not spread himself thin in the acquisition of females.**

**Sesshomaru had been caressing and exploring Shinokiri's figure quite slowly. Agonizingly. She wanted this episode done with. She felt like an object, being petted with not consideration to her being cognizant of anything. It would not have mattered if she was conscious or not.**

**_It is my duty._ ** **Shinokiri burnt this into her memory as she stared at the ceiling. She needed to avoid the awkwardness of seeing him leer at her, touch her, yet do nothing else. Even more pressing, was the need to not respond to his touch, not feel pleasure from it. It certainly was strange, to be unsettled in such contradictory ways. She'd never admit that there was an excitement in his attentions towards her. Like a precious object but still an object.**

**He kissed her neck. Took each of her breasts in his mouth. Yet, he had ignored her face entirely. He just moved downwards. Torturing her with waiting. Torturing her with pleasure. Her stomach; her thighs. It was then she was possessed and escaping from her rattled out a moan.**

**Sesshomaru smirked at this. He felt that noise gave him more power in the situation. He did not feel helpless now. If he had gone further, he felt that she would have the upper hand, it was his pleasure that mattered to him, not hers. Besides, he could smell that she was ready now…see it, but would not let this be known out loud, in fear that it may halt things.**

**To Shinokiri's relief and chagrin, he stopped his course. To some other, maybe even great relief he took her mouth in his. Ravenously he kissed her. She, in animalistic mechanics, returned it fervently, wriggling against him, their hands cupping each other's faces tenderly. Shinokiri felt lost and now could see what he meant by weakness. This was a weakness. She could not make a habit of it. He propped himself up on his arms and positioned himself between her legs. She put up no resistance and whimpered at the prospect. She knew what was about to happen, the assurance of her future.**

**From his throat came a low guttural growl that shook her core. He thrust. Such force. Shinokiri felt a sharp pain and cried out…**

Shinokiri awoke, her bangs stuck to her face with sweat. She was dewy and rattled. It had been ages since she recounted that memory. Mainly it was self-preservation, having been alone for so long. However, just seeing him again, a yearning grew in her. She did not like it…she did not like…the wet towel on her face.

Shinokiri flew into a small rage, getting up and growling, fangs bared, eyes red and darting.

"KAEDE-BABA!"

Rin leapt back in fright and the old priestess came running in. Shinokiri settled down and felt the heat leaving her neck.

"What's wrong?" The old priestess cradled the girl in her arms, using her body as a shield.

"I'm sorry Rin, you startled me."

Shino kiri turned the other way, sinking into the mattress as a sign of submission. Returning to her side, Rin brave reached out to stroke her forehead.

"You were asleep for days and then you began to writhe and thrash about. I thought you had a fever."

"Hn"

"You seem occupied with a great many number of things, Shinokiri-hime" Kaede was purposefully vague as she narrowed her eyes at the demon. "Sesshomaru-sama came into to look at you not too long ago and that seemed to be the thing to disturb your rest."

"Ah. Where is Inuyasha?"

Rin hopped up at this. "He's with Kagome-sama and master Miroku! They're slaying demons for people outside the village. It's what they do, but they'll be back, don't worry."

Shinokiri nodded at this. Very little progress had been made with her legs. They were still bound by static and numbness. She could only shift them sporadically. Seeing her look at them Kaede offered, "I have been trying to move them as often as I can….while you were sleeping I would bend your knees, hopefully, some change will happen soon. Nothing is wrong with them besides that."

"Thank you, Priestess," Shinokiri said with a sigh before punctuating it with a frustrated huff. Contracting her face in consternation.

"Oh Shinokiri-sama! I have done what you asked. I have found a master of the koto to teach me …and look!"

Rin pulled out a smaller, simpler koto.

"Lord Sesshomaru got me one to practice on, so I don't kill anyone like you were saying!"

Rin beamed at Shinokiri with pride. She seemed intent on impressing and pleasing the demoness.

"Very good Rin. I pray you will make great strides."

Rin accepted this response and with a somewhat more reserved pleasantness she responded, "Shinokiri-hime, I don't know you very well, but you seem like a great lady…a nice lady…I am happy."

Shinokiri tilted her head at the child. _What is her meaning…_

"I had always wondered why Sesshomaru-sama would stay by himself so much. Wasn't he lonely? And there were ladies…pretty ladies that came along…. but he stayed alone. I felt sad for him, but I get it now. He was waiting for you…He—"

Kaede put a hand on the girl's shoulder, urging her to stop. "Do not bother Shinokiri-hime, Rin. She should still be resting."

Shinokiri bit Rin to continue, however.

"Ladies?"

It struck something in her. It should've occurred to her, that even with all of his proclamations of overcoming weakness and compartmentalizing…all of that foolishness. He was still a male, and in her absence he would find relief elsewhere. No matter what he would say, he would still need the warmth of a female's touch. As she had suffered without a male's. The difference only being that she was trapped, isolated from the world…and he was not.

There was no uniqueness in what was between the two of them that could not be replicated with a substitution of another in either role. That is how she rationalized it. So, of course, he had his needs met.

"Kagura-sama…Sara-hime…he seemed to like them I think," Rin offered.

A displacement happened within Shinokiri… _Like?_

"He never took them on though. They never stayed with us or anything…he didn't hate them, he just never let them get near. He'd say no. I never understood why, but he never told me he had you. So I guess it makes sense."

Rin flashed a smile as she shrugged. She thought this was encouraging. Shinokiri was even more discombobulated than previously. Maybe, he had overcome his desires...rejecting women throwing themselves at him...at least that was the impression she got. So then, what now? He had finally rid himself of that ailment, of his lust. What was her place now?


	5. Always a Child

Chapter 5

Always a Child

Shinokiri watched her hakama rustle in the breeze by the window. They were a reminder of her stasis…an uncommon predicament to her will, but a common one to her the course her life had seemed to be taking in the past century.

"You awake yet?"

 _Inuyasha._ Shinokiri propped herself up as a peace come over her, this particular warmth was the symptom of his company, as she had remembered it. She had no idea if he was the same. He was grown now…all of his tribulations, mummers she had heard from inside the serpent Kogane. Her twitching sensitive ears had allowed her some medium to the outside in her drudging and barely justifiable ordeal. _What had the world made of him? Was he ruined to her now?_

She remembered his brown eyes, his human form looking up at her, gripping her heart to tell her not to leave in the morning. Each time she did, though, painfully she did. This vulnerability, she searched for it in the effervescent amber of his eyes now. Peering at her through the furrowed curtain of thick dark brows. Perpetually on the edge of a temper.

"Are you here to keep me company Inuyasha?"

"Heh," he plopped down beside her with great drama.

**Inuyasha clung to the furred seem of Shinokiri's shoulders. A red and silver ball swaying by the strength of the silken fabric, barely of any notice to his host as she glided through the forest.**

**"** **Kiri-chan! Was dad as tall as you?"**

**"** **Much taller"**

**"** **Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Woooooooooooooooow," the little hanyou made an 'O' with his mouth as he let go of her sleeve and made a gentle thud in the grass.**

**"** **One day I'll be giant just like him."**

**"** **Highly unlikely little one."**

**Inuyasha made up his face into as much of a scowl as he could muster and puffed up his chest.**

**"** **Why not? Why can't I be big and strong like him?!"**

**"** **You will be big and strong…enough…just not like him"**

**"** **Why not?!"**

**Shinokiri looked down at the pup. Cold and blunt she made a point not to give the boy fairy tales.**

**"** **You are a half-breed and he was the greatest demon to ever live."**

**Inuyasha rolled into a wobbly stand, kicking up grass in a huff of frustration. He straightened his kimono and hakama, leaving the mass of tumbled silver hair unkempt. His puppy ears trembled on top of his head as he brushed away the tears forming in his eyes. The dirt from his forearm mingled with tears, stinging him, obscuring his vision. He could feel more tears forming and so he pushed his soled into the dirt to propel himself forward into a run.**

**"** **If he was so great, then why is he dead?!"**

**His painful call rung out and bounced from tree to tree. Shinokiri would let him run. Perhaps, she should have been softer with him.**

**She heard a snap and a cascade of dirt and stones follow…her acute ears picked up his muffled groans. Clattering and clanging as he rolled down, stopping with a crisp crumbling of leaves.**

**"** **Kiri-chan" he coughed. "Ughhhhhh"**

**The sun was going down. There was no time for this. She would have to get food for him soon. Walking over to the ditch he had fallen in, like a hawk she narrowed in on his eyes through the detritus he had managed to bury himself in.**

**"** **Clumsy. If you're going to be as great as your father, you can't be so clumsy"**

**She crouched down and pinched the collar of his kimono, craning him out from the ditch. As if he were a dirty rag. He spun by the fabric to face her.** **_Pitiful._ ** **. She surrendered her reason, under the spell of his scratched tear-streaked face. Tenderly she drew him to her, letting him sniffle into her hair.**

**"** **I'm going to do it Kiri-chan! I'll prove it to you!"**

He had proven his greatness. A hanyou, as great and as powerful as any demon around currently. His name being mentioned in awe and wonder. From the dark and the damp the news had reached even her. Her pride had lent warmth to the cold.

"Your legs work yet?"

Shinokiri let herself fall back onto the bed, not even looking at him.

"It's dumb….seeing you so weak. I don't like it. I know you only were around me for my old man, you know. I know you didn't really care. It was just your duty or whatever, but I appreciate it."

"Don't be silly, Inuyasha"

With that, Shinokiri dismissed any negative thought he may have had and his stiff shoulders loosened. He glance at her, then back to the wall, slowly, turning his chin up in thought. Shinokir's eyes fell on tessaiga.

"You have earned your birthright."

Inuyasha turned his head towards her and let out a cough like chuckle. Regurgitating it like it was never supposed to be uttered.

"You're goddamn right I did."

They were interrupted by a soft knocking in the doorway. It was neither Kaede, nor Rin…they were off…no, the smell. It was the younger priestess. Inuyasha's chosen mate. Behind her was the monk's woman and her brood hibbledy hobbledy at her feet. They were carrying ablutions and ointments of all sorts.

"Sorry to interrupt. Sango and I thought you could use a bath. There is a hot spring near here…I know you must be sore."

Her voice was so unsure, so hesitant.

"Yeah, Kagome, go ahead, she's kind of gross right now."

"Inuyasha"

Kagome's voice was filled with threatening quiet menace. Sango pushed in between the two lovers.

"Grow up you too. It's unbecoming of children to be married"

Sango rolled her eyes after speaking. She crouched down by the demoness making a motion for her to get on her back. Shinokiri held on as Sango took a deep breath and burst with energy to get off the ground with a small grunt.

_What a strong human this woman is._

"Alright, let's go. Kagome"

Kagome marched up to Inuyasha and ruffled his hair. "Bye now! See you later!" She gave a taunting sickeningly sweet sort of exaggerated smile.

"Stop treating me like your pet dog, KAGOME!"

Shinokiri gave a sort of sympathetic motion of her lips into a soft line as she blinked her lids in goodbye to Inuyasha. Kagome caught up to Sango who efficiently made her way toward the forest, carrying the large youkai on her back with seeming ease. Her three small children bussed about her feet, threatening to trip her t every step.

The monk called out to them, "Going to the hot spring I see." His grin was suspect and unnatural.

"Miroku, you pervert, don't even think about following us"

Sango huffed as she motioned her head to her husband as a signal for her children to follow him instead. Miroku chuckled gaily.

"You should give me more credit, my love. I'm a reformed man!" Kagome and Sango rolled their eyes and continued down the path, the group of women branching off into a differing direction than the monk.

The demoness rued the useless dragging weight of her legs. The tips of her toes made lines in the dirt trailing behind the three women.

Once they had reached their destination, Sango gently lowered herself as Kagome guided Shinokiri's body the ground. The youkai's thoughts clouded over everything. _Sara…Kagura._

"Oh, how'd you hear about them?"

Shinokiri didn't realize she had said the names out loud. She turned to the voice. Sango looked at her with concern.

Kagome brushed off the heaviness of the moment. "Eh. Don't worry about all that. Sesshomaru-sama barely paid any attention to them. Not important. The most I can say is that he felt sorry for them."

Kagome gave what was supposed to be a reassuring smile.

"I'm not worried. Who Sesshomaru-sama spends his time with is not my concern. It is out of my purview."

Sango shifted a bit as she took a damp rag from the spring onto the back of Shinokiri's neck. They meant to clean her before entering into the refreshing heat of the healing spring. Sango worked up to her question.

"Would it not though? I guess…well, it wasn't a love match, I suppose."

"Love?"

Kagome rubbed a rag into Shinokiri's calves, massaging them as she cleaned.

"Eh. You demons always lose your sensibility when it comes to that part. It's to be expected I guess, but are you and Sesshomaru fond of each other at least?"

Shinokiri let Kagome's word bounce around her brain for a bit, but nothing came up.

"I don't know"

"Really?" Sango and Kagome both zoomed into focus inched from the youkai's face.

"All this time, and you don't even know if you like him?"

Sango was filled with incredulity. "How weird."

"He was my reward, for my loyal service to Inu no Taisho. The chance for my progeny to rule the west. As far as Sesshomaru was concerned, I was a means to sewing his son's oats. That is all. A vessel for the continuation of his noble line"

"Hmmmm"

The two women absorbed her words and mused together. They leaned back in shock at how matter-of-fact and open she was about it all. It was unusual for anyone, much less a demon. They both eased Shinokiri into the spring before following her.

"Ahhhhh. This never gets old."

Kagome luxuriated in the steam of the spring and was backed by a smile from Sango.

"So…"

Kagome started again.

"You're not jealous of Sesshomaru being with other women?"

"Kago—"

Sango began to warn her off of the subject but was interrupted by Shinokiri.

"I don't even know their connection with him or how many there are"

"WELL…"

Kagome perked up ready to spill as much information as she could.

"I, personally, only know of those two and there was not much going on there. Kagura was this wind sorceress—an incarnation of the half-demon Naraku." Kagome paused to search for understanding in the face of the taiyoukai who nodded.

"Right, so she probably had a bit of a thing Sesshomaru, but mainly she just asked him to kill Naraku for her. That's the bulk of it. She ended up dying. Sesshomaru looked bothered by it, but it's not like you can really tell what he's thinking"

"Ah"

Shinokiri soaked it in. It wasn't much, but it was something. She readjusted herself on the rock she was perched on, straining a bit on her own weight.

"And Sara?"

Sango came forward.

"That one's even more of a nonentity. We only encountered her on one occasion. Apparently she was a princess who fell in love with Sesshomaru and on her deathbed she gave her body to a horde of demons in order to find a way to please Sesshomaru. He barely seemed to even recognize her as someone he might know, but he did seem to feel bad when she died though."

Silence fell as Shinokiri turned her attention to raking soap through her hair. She had let it loose and relaxed into the feeling of hot water running through her scalp.

"He does not care to be distracted by the attentions of women. He sees it as a weakness. The downfall of his father," the demoness looked up at the speckled light through the trees.

Kagome and Sango nodded as they took in the information.

"Never? So you and he…never?"

Sango's head tilted almost unnaturally to her shoulder. Kagome's nose crinkled in fascination.

"That was the exception. A necessary evil. It was our duty."

The two listening women nodded slowly, not quite sure if they understood what she was saying, but they were willing to accept it for what it is. The two women hadn't noticed, as his yoki was always about, that the lord of the western lands was in their midst.

"Sesshomaru-sama"

Shinokiri turned her head achingly to look in his direction. The two women reached for rocks to hide behind. The demon, a glory in white and red, with his sweeping silver hair; stepped out from the shadows. He had not been there for long, but it was surprising to him that his mate was so weak as to only just notice him. He looked towards the two human women.

"Leave."


	6. Having Been at the Source

Chapter 6

Having Been at the Source

Frozen in the unfathomable sweep of the moment. The two human women, cowering behind a rock in a hot spring were paralyzed in no uncertain terms.

"Sesshomaru-sama, turn around"

His head snapped towards his mate, nostrils flared at her apparent support of their current insolence.

"You must preserve their modesty, my lord. Turn around"

The muscles in his face relaxed with realization, as he scoffed and spun on his heels to face the opposite direction of the two very puzzled women. Sango and Kagome quickly packed up as Shinokiri mouthed a breathy 'thank you' to them. Shinokiri inhaled deeply and blew thick mat of mist from her mouth, she felt the thick addition to the cover of steam would make the process smoother.

Freed by the cover of the mist, they were able to quickly throw together their belongings and address decent enough to be n their way.

"See you later Kiri-chan!" "Later!"

Kagome and Sango respectively called out as they dripped through the forest messily put together, obviously upset over their abrupt ejection. Shinokiri winced at the unauthorized use Inuyasha's mate made of his nickname for her. A nickname she had regrettably let slide when he was toothless pup slobbering over even the most basic of words.

Now alone, Sesshomaru turned towards her making a point to stretch his neck in looking down at her.

"It's disgusting how weak you have become."

He spat out the words smugly. She couldn't disagree with him though. Right now, she was embarrassingly weak. It picked at her spirit to be so vulnerable. Yet, in this moment, she was more at ease than she had previously been all week. There is a paranoia that comes with being helpless around a multitude of people…most of them strangers. Strangers nursing her, witnessing her in filth and invalidity. Strangers stood by her when not conscious, in her most exposed states of slumber. The stress of it might even be detrimental to her recovery to some extent, but now, just her and Sesshomaru. This was the most natural she had felt far too many decades.

"Is that what you ran them off for? You needed privacy to tell me that?"

Playful and sardonic, but it didn't hide the heaving of her chest. She was anxious to be near him again…thrilled. A familiar contraction; a familiar warmth. She was aroused. His eyes on her alone were a little death in itself. It had been so long, too long—an eternity.

"Your blind loyalty to my father is so foolish. Flagrantly overzealous. It shows how truly unremarkable you are in every description."

"I apologize that you felt so neglected in my absence, my lord."

Sesshomaru began to remove his armor, casting his two swords at his feet. Then his kimono and hakama…everything. Shinokiri put her head in the water to obscure the raggedness of her breathing. She could survive on the remembrance of the pale perfection of his body. Each muscle and marking etched into her memory, but she would die, in her current state, to see it again in person.

Her mate could be heard slipping into the water with her. She could smell that her desire was reciprocated, but it was different. He was restraining himself, she could feel it in his mood, the way one can feel these things after centuries.

"You are too pathetic to touch at this time."

Shinokiri let out a strangled sigh of frustration. It would be a trial to hold on her dignity in this situation. _Why torture me so?_

In truth, seeing her like this shook Sesshomaru to his foundation. It scared him to experience her thus. This demoness he knew to always be capable and strong. He could never take her in this state. Fragile like porcelain. What if he broke her further? The thought had irked him incessantly in the few days since her return.

"So you wish to keep me as a captive audience to you bathing?"

"Yes"

A wave of quiet unfulfilled laughter passed over Shinokiri's body. _How ridiculous._

There had been so many things left unsaid between the two. So much resentment. Their natures would never allow it. Currently, it would be Shinokiri's behavior. Her insistence on choosing a dead Inu no Taisho's demands over a live Sesshomaru's needs. Consistently she would do this. It was the hallmark of their relationship.

**Inu no Taisho gleamed in the glory of the heat of battle. The young Shinokiri could not take her eyes off of him. His power. His majesty. Demon after demon fell to his blade. Carrion covered the earth, but in the slippery sludge of it all the great demon never lost the traction in his stance. He made easy meaningful strides with each strike, barely expounding effort.**

**It was not her curiosity that got her there. The young puppy, long abandoned, gaunt in the face and emaciated. She had felt the earth move from the reverberations of violence and smelt its carnage and moved quickly to scavenge whatever flesh she could. The disgrace of it all. Once from a great line, the unwanted pup was reduced to this, the lowest of the low.**

**She being a she, and the runt of the litter had made her so undesirable to her kin that she simply woke up without them. In the decades since, she had managed to survive in this way. Picking at corpses like a crow.**

**The great daiyokai before her; his example. It brought about such feelings of shame as she has never felt before. Her sullied state compared to his of highest exaltation.**

**Inu no Taisho sheathed his sounga, having defeated all who had stood before him. In his peripheral vision, he saw a tiny gray blur rummaging through armor to cleave flesh from bone. It sickened him.**

**He bent to take her gaunt face into his hands, picking her up by it.**

**"** **What you're doing is beneath you? If you are to survive you must hunt and eat your kill fresh"**

**Shinokiri mustered something of a nod. Inu no Taisho, the colossus that he was, brought her high up to his shoulders so that she was terrified at the height she was at. At this, he chuckled and bid her grasp onto his head for purchase.**

**He would hunt for her the first decent meal she had in years, and when she left she vowed to never forget his kindness. Such an unusual trait in a demon. She vowed to find him and serve him. She would repay him his attentions to the fullest of her capabilities—with every fiber of her being. He would come before all others.**

**It would prove to be in some instances a wise choice. She would find him and perform whatever task he asked of her, and as his status grew, so did hers. She would ride her loyalty into increasing comfort and prestige. Above all of her kin she, the runt, had survived and prospered. It would be her who would carry on their line and bring honor to them. All for sake of Inu no Taisho and her loyalty to him. It had never failed her. At least, it never occurred to her that there might be failings gone overlooked.**

Sesshomaru had gotten close to Shinokiri. He brushed her wet hair back, stroking the flower mark on her forehead. They shared a tired look deep into each other's eyes, only to be broken by Shinkokiri who shook her head away from his touch. She longed to kiss him, to feel his lips pressed against hers once more. She thought better of it than to carry out this fantasy. She knew it would overextend her compromised state.

"I'm too pathetic, remember?"

The comment earned a scoff from the demon lord.

Despite it all, their silence was a comfortable one. Shinokiri absent mindedly ran her claws through Sesshomaru's hair. Both found the action soothing, and Sesshomaru leaned back into her touch.

"I had missed this"

Shinokiri closed her eyes slowly, saying it almost as if in delighted realization.

"Hn?"

Sesshomaru's questioning grunt faded into a contented sort of hum.

"You're company…any company."

"Companionship is a crutch. I need no one."

Shinokiri snickered, beguiled by how oblivious he'd have to be to make such a statement. "It's amazing how much you like lying to yourself. If that were true, you wouldn't have Rin, and I'd still be in that snake."

There was a pregnant pause.

"My lord, what are your intentions with Rin? If she decides to return to you care once she is of age…will you lay with her?"

"Will I fill the belly of a human before you?"

Sesshomaru countered, obviously offended, hot with agitation.

"It is a valid question."

"This Sesshomaru, is not his father. Rin is under my protection, not being reared to rut with."

Sesshomaru brushed her off and found his way out of the hot spring. Bundling her up he got them both dressed and they silently made the pilgrimage back to Kaede's hut.

_Is it possible? Could he truly only be smitten with the innocence of the girl, with no other intentions? To care for her and ask nothing of her in return? Perhaps he has overcome the weaknesses of his father, of any male. How can he be so steadfast in caring for a child that is not his own?_

Shinokiris inner quandary was interrupted by a gleeful shriek.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Shinokiri-hime!"

Rin jumped and waved ahead of them on the path before the hut. With her was a young woman who looked frightened to been in the presence of two taiyoukai, even if one had to carry the other.

"This is who I was telling you about Shinokiri-hime! After Lord Sesshomaru got me this new koto to practice on—"

She pointed to the wrapped koto strapped to her back.

"I found Aiko-sensei. She's been teaching me"

The aforementioned Aiko bowed as low as she could.

"I am most grateful for you magnanimous generosity, my lord…my lady…the death of the demon Kogane brought many riches to the village as a whole, but for me, personally, it allowed me to pay off my family's debts. I am so glad that I can assist your ward in her lessons…anything to repay your kindness. I will forever hold dear the honor of having young Rin in my charge. I do not take this responsibility lightly!"

The words poured out of her with immense indecipherable speed. There was no use trying to makes sense of any of it, so the pair simply stared at her blankly, and with that she hurried off; still obviously giddy and nervous from being in their presence.

Upon entering the hut, Sesshomaru perfectly placed Shinokiri down in one fluid motion before exiting. He made no attempt to look back. The vassal Jaken sprinted to the door, hyperventilating at the entrance.

"Lord Sesshomaru! I've caught you in time! You are leaving now, yes?"

And with that, they were gone. High into the clouds in the span of a blinking eye. Rin called out to them cheerfully.

"Goodbye Lord Sesshomaru! Goodbye, Mater Jaken! Until next time!"

She spun around to face Shinokiri. Her smile clung to her face, but her eyes looked glassy and pink. She let her emotions drop and a wailing from the pit of her stomach emitted from her.

"I hate when he leaves Shinokiri-hime. How can you stand it?"

Not sure of what to do with this strange child, Shinokiri figured that the best option was to calm her down before the old priestess got back. The demoness extended her arms outward, becoming the child in her embrace. Her chest became damp with the child tears, but she kept her firm in her arms, and Rin lay next to her. In this, they both found peace in one another, even as ignorant as they were to one another.

Kaede would return to them asleep in each other's arms. It brought a warmness to her, and so she watched them. This odd pair brought together by even odder circumstance. It was otherworldly how right the two looked their together fused by such an unlikely common bond. It was beyond belief that anyone, much less these two could find affection in one another over the shared experience of the icy Sesshomaru.


	7. Refraction

Chapter 7

Refraction

**"** **Hanyou"**

**Inuyasha came to attention at the sound of Shinokiri's voice. "Return to your mother. It is not safe here."**

**The pup stumbled away from her through the field until his footing became sure and turned into a gait. He couldn't exactly leave though he knew why she wanted him to leave. It was his brother, a complete gap in his knowledge of himself a part of a series of other gaps…all debilitating. Inuyasha found himself up a tree, as far as he could muster, clinging onto a branch hoping for a prospect of activity.**

**From the cover of darkness stepped Sesshomaru, all that was glimmering and impressive.**

**"** **You would truly show them so much attention? Those responsible for my father's downfall."**

**Sesshomaru's eyes flickered in the direction of the pup precariously balanced on a branch. He fixed his sight on him, willing the half-breed to know he knew he was there. Distracted by fear, Inuyasha slipped and luckily was able to dig his claws into the bark, sliding back into a steadier position. He barely was able to muffle a cry of distress but bit down on his lip goading bravery from within himself.**

**Shinkokiri tittered, "You should have been his demise had you seen it fit at the time."**

**"** **Do you dare ridicule this Sesshomaru?"**

**A heft crept through the atmosphere. "It has been years now Shinokiri. Inu no Taisho's body cannot be found. You know where it is…"**

**Shinokiri looked as if pondering to herself, squinting to the sky. "I may know something, but I'm limited in what I can tell you. Inu no Taisho would not have wanted it"**

**"** **You are mine. I take precedence. Tell me the location of my father's grave"**

**Sesshomaru tried fervently to not let his anger be shown, he would not let her know his desperation.**

**"** **Seeing, but never seen; protected, yet never known to its protector." Shinokiri let out the ghost of a laugh. "That is what your father told me to tell you."**

**Shinokiri reached above her high ponytail to an ornament in her long grey hair. Acting as an enchanted scabbard sheathing an awesomely gargantuan naginata which had been pulled out just in time to block Sesshomaru's poison whip.**

**He charged at her with a barrage of lethal light but her great weapon kept him at a distance.**

**"** **I have no time for this my lord. The sooner I meet my obligations the sooner I am exclusively useful to you."**

**"** **You were never such a thing as useful"**

**Shinokiri took in a mammoth breath and from out her nostrils poured a cascade of mist obscuring the young lord's vision as to leave his final thrust of his whip empty and his mate departed.**

**Once she was directly below Inuyasha, she gave a swift kick to the tree and watched as he plummeted down with a satisfying bounce off the ground at the end, right into her clutches. Inuyasha hollered, but mercilessly Shinokiri held him to her face by his sensitive furry ears.**

**"** **Never defy me again."**

Inuyasha sucked air through his fangs and let frustration vibrate from his throat.

"Does she have to bang at it like that?!"

Rin's face drooped in distress, "But Aiko-sensei said I have to practice!"

"Never mind that idiot. He's just upset because he doesn't know how to do anything besides be stupid."

Shippou jeered irreverently at Inuyasha while hiding behind Kagome. He had returned in an interim of his training.

"Its fine Rin, keep playing, you're getting much better. He's just being a grumpy old mutt"

Kagome smiled at Rin before her eyes narrowed at her husband in warning. She masked her threat with bristling sweetness, "Why don't you go outside and keep Kiri-chan company…" Her voice became low and staccato'd, "because the next outburst you have will be one you'll regret."

Shinokiri caught the breeze in as she inhaled, and felt as if she'd be spirited away on the wind. She wasn't herself her, not here. Feeble and dependent. Soft. She eased into this role but felt as though the trueness of her being was dying. She had not seen Sesshomaru for over a month. She had been here for over a month, and still could only imagine to recover enough as to be able to sit on a bench unassisted.

"Shinokiri-san"

She looked up at the hanyou clad in red and gave a gentle nod. He cotched on the bnech beside her. They sat with each other, looking out, but something wriggled around in the silence.

Shippou stuck his head out of the doorway to point and laugh at Inuyasha.

"You're such a loser…sitting in time out," he stuck out his tongue and chortled.

Shinokiri shot a fertile glare at the young fox demon, "Remove yourself and stop being a nuisance." Shippou's body seemed to scatter in order to get away from her. He was not willing to test her patience like he did Inuyasha's. There was no history of sincere comradery there for such allowances. He returned to Kagome's side pouting.

The hanyou swallowed a lump in his throat and let out a question that had been digging at him.

"Hey, how did you get away with keeping dad's grave from Sesshomaru?"

"He knew he'd have to kill me if he pressed the issue."

Inuyasha arched a brow.

"It's gauche to break one's own toys, I suppose. He seems to have gotten over it."

"And me? You never told me."

"Don't be simple…that would be counter-intuitive"

**Izayoi was soaked through with sweat. She was crouched with her newborn in a cavern. It was still too soon, too fresh to return to her family. Trying to soothe him during his feeding, rocking back and forth in a jerky excitable fashion, still, days later; paranoid from running in a night lit by fire. Her beloved's final words to her still echoed around her—inside of her.**

**_Izayoi...you must live. Live a long life. Live long and well, with Inuyasha._ **

**"** **Izayoi-hime"**

**The sound cut through like a knife. She was startled and shaking looking up to her relief at the familiar personage of Shinokiri.**

**"** **I know you…I've seen you before."**

**"** **Do not be afraid onna. I am here on behalf of Inu no Taisho's dying wish."**

**"** **Oh"**

**"** **What is its name?"**

**"** **Inu no Taisho named him Inuyasha"**

**Shinokiri gave a sharp nodded, "Stay still." With her command, she followed by bending over and taking firm hold of the trembling woman with one hand. Izayoi shrieked in helpless terror.**

**"** **Be quiet. I will not harm either of you.'**

**Shinokiri took her thumb and index finger, carefully using her claws to pry open one of the newborn's eye, quickly letting go of Izayoi, she pulled the black pearl from the sleeve of the kimono of her occupied hand and dropped it in the boy's eye.**

**"** **What have you done to him?! What did you do to my child?!"**

**"** **Everything will be fine. Go back to those you belong to…for his sake."**

**She sauntered off slowly, and yet in an instant, the demoness was gone.**

"Sesshomaru was going to kill me over that damn thing. He'd kill me over anything, really."

"He likes to give off that impression, but he wouldn't, at least, I doubt he'd actually ever do it"

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose in disgust at Shinokiri, "You really don't give a shit about what happened to me after you left, don't you?"

"Stop your nonsense."

She had learnt in her years alive, albeit rather slowly, that what she could not bring herself to accomplish in manner towards someone else, she could usually remedy with touch. It was less of a hassle than all of the words others seemed to need. She reached out for Inuyasha's shoulder, stroking it gently.

Contrary to the notions and protestations of many, demons were very much capable of tender feelings. However, they lived in a way as to make those feelings far more likely to compromise them. As such, the stubbornly denied themselves any indulgence in them, as best as they could. Inu no Taisho had a great respect for compassion, though, and from him, she had learnt to at least show it in whatever small form she could.

Inuyasha's shoulders relaxed at her touch and much to her bemusement his head dropped to lean on her shoulder. It was mutually uncomfortable, but still mutually appreciated. An uneasy symbiosis. Neither felt that this was their forte, but it was the only way either of them could come to any sort of understanding with anyone. They'd both be perpetually uncomfortable in this way, in all of their interactions with the ones they cared for.

"The animosity between you two seems to have blown over."

It was more of a question than it sounded.

"I guess."

"Then all that was before ceases to matter now."

"Is it like that with you guys?"

Shinokiri's neck bent back with the weight of her head as if she'd prefer it to just fall right off.

"We're fine."

"Heh. Hardly. You two are fucked."

In the background, Kaede's quiet breathing could be heard. The dilapidation of old age showed in this respect, as she could not hide the rattling of weary flesh as air passed into her lungs. Kagome hummed over it as the older priestess observed her work.

What it must've been like to oversee one's dead sister's reincarnation.

 _Yes, Inuyasha had loved them both_. _Love._

Shinokiri struggled with the concept. There was a holiness to his fixation. To love one soul consistently from life to life. Was that the model of love? It seemed oppressive.

Rin seemed to habitually play noted sharp of what they were meant to be…never flat. _Rin_ Perhaps, Rin would keep appearing, from vessel to vessel, the same soul capturing the attentions of the demon lord again and again. Did he love her like Inuyasha loved Kiyou and then Kagome…or was it more like Kagome's affinity for the young fox? Giving love to a foundling as if it were her own.

**There was blood in the snow. It reflected the light metallically. Sesshomaru dully looked into the droplets in mass ahead of him, trailing to perhaps the stupidest situation he had ever encountered. He hadn't moved since his father left hours ago, but he knew it was all over.**

**"** **You followed him all the way out here?"**

**Shinokiri's voice sat on his head.**

**"** **As did you."**

**They were both hurt and disappointed by Inu no Taisho's choice, on this, they could agree. They'd never say it, but they knew each other well enough to know that that was the case.**

**"** **He was going to die regardless…obviously, so would you really have been as dishonorable as to kill him and claim that you had surpassed him in power?"**

**"** **I didn't."**

**"** **You were thinking about it."**

**"** **Hn."**

**"** **I can see how it would be tempting, but if you made that claim then really one could argue that Ryukotsusei has all right to usurp these lands…should he ever come to."**

**Shinokiri's pride certainly was accompanied by a fall. Sesshomaru grabbed her by her hair, punishing her hubris in thinking she could get away with such a comment. He tugged roughly at her hair, wrapping it tightly around his wrist. The demoness did not shrink, though, "Lord Ryukotsusei of the Western Lands," her voice sang.**

**Sesshomaru pulled her head back eliciting a tortured moan from his mate's mouth. She gritted her teeth in defiance. He was impotent in this way. They both knew he'd do nothing. Mostly because he needed there to be a perception that he was more in control of his emotions than he actually was. Killing kin or allies in anger, he knew, would seem to be the brash and untrustworthy actions of a volatile young upstart. A barbarous self-important pretender that didn't deserve his position in life. Even if there was some truth in that assessment he would actively work against it. How others saw him meant more to him than everything, in a very real sense. The wrong image could mean his death, his father's legacy gone—his chance at power forever interrupted.**

**Shinokiri did not struggle, she challenged him directly, straining her gaze to catch his in that awkward position. In a deadlock, they stood trying to menace each other with dueling growls to no avail. The demon lord searched his mind as to how to proceed. This was all a distraction from the real weight of their reality anyway. They were procrastinating on the uncertainty of their futures, especially his, the new Lord of the Western Lands.**

**"** **Lord Sesshomaru"**

**Shinokiri struggled to get the words out, whimpering. There was the threat that he would end up snapping her neck in this moment, even if she believed it would be unintentional.**

**He repeated the words in his head.** **_Lord Sesshomaru._ ** **That was who he was now. He could collapse in the immensity of it. Yet, to hear it spread a warmth throughout his entire body. A distraction…yes, they both needed a distraction. He relaxed his grip on her head, bringing her face to his, commandeering her mouth with his own, never fully releasing her hair from his grasp. Her eyes closed as an invitation to continue as she surrendered to him.**

**He would take her there as a consecration…a coronation. They both gasped for air, panting before rushing to continue. His hands moved across her waist and back, eventually beginning to work on loosening her obi. Her back arched in such a way as to require a firm grip on the spiked shoulder pieces of his armor, cutting her hands, but she did not care to notice. Stumbling backwards in tandem , they made the silent consensus to rip at each other's clothes, not bothering with any wasteful actions.**

**This was a time so bursting with confliction, so daunting with impending repercussions that the preciousness of this moment could not be squandered. Growling with passion, they could not control themselves and unwittingly sprung into their true forms. Sesshomaru would mount her thus. There would be time to worry about it later.**


	8. The Crack that Broke the Dam

Chapter 8

The Crack that Broke the Dam

 

**Shinokiri's philosophy on combat was offensive defense. Evasion and attacking from a distance. It had served her well with many an opponent. Her mist. Her naginata. Her claws. The claws were special. They would extend outward…violently, then retract on command. It was versatile. If she was weaponless she could keep her enemies at bay, but if they closed the distance she had that element of surprise.**

**Stuck in the dark damp viscera of another demon made all of these skills void. She questioned everything and could barely justify being there as soon as she found herself in this predicament that she had willingly…adamantly put herself in.**

**Her claws only served as entertainment. Every so often she would stab the beast from the inside, varying the depth of the wounds. It was cruel, but her only comfort when left so long to her own devices.**

**She thought back to Inu no Taisho instructing her. Explaining everything.** **_Someone to protect…_ **

**It certainly never would be her. Frankly, it was more likely she'd need protection from Sesshomaru, rather than to be protected by him. Ever.**

**It was likely she'd end up dying inside Kogane. Her self-destructive need to please. Really…where was her protection? She had become an obedient sacrificial lamb. Did Inu no Taisho have faith enough in his son to complete his wishes before she died, or was she expendable enough for it not to matter?**

**She thought back to the cold and shivering Izayoi with her babe bundled in her arms. Barely out of the nefarious purview of the snow's withering embrace. Waiting for nothing. Was this what she felt like? So unsure of everything she had ever done leading up to this second.**

**Shinokiri busied herself in understanding the Oto no Joka Kabe…if anything to pass the time.**

"Rin, I trust that you can do this."

The little girl looked nervously up at her, trying not to fidget lest it disturb the instrument on its stand. There was a deliberate effort in everything being still. Rin took deep, burdened breaths in order to steady herself.

"The louder you play, the further the wall spreads. The pace of the attack determines the pace of your play."

Shinokiri's stance lacked the sureness it once had. She had only just learned to be on her feet again. There was trust there, however, she chose to blindly trust the girl wouldn't put her in remission. Like a sword her arm was outstretched; claws to the limit of their reach. She waited at the other end of the meadow, as A-Un stood watch.

Rin stretched her tiny hands and hovered two fingers fitted with pick over the stings. Gently, back and forth she varied between two notes crescendo'ing at a creaking pace. Louder and louder until sparks flew from the demoness' claws as they began to whittle down in length. Rin, being conservative stopped with a comfortable extension left from the tips of Shinokiri's fingers. The grass was singed, marking the distance between the two.

"OOOooooh"

Rin's eyes widened with wonder.

"I am proud of your restraint."

"What if I want to protect someone with me?"

 _Protect._ The word always left a ringing in the youkai's ears.

"Then they must be touching you."

Rin nodded in comprehension.

Gently, she put the koto away. She would only incrementally use it for now until she was truly confident in her control. The enchanted silk covering was the only insurance against the slightest tremor causing disaster. She strapped it to the saddle of A-Un in a finality that cause some relief. Rin had no desire to push any boundaries as yet.

Satisfied, the two started back toward the village in tranquil companionship. Contentment rang on their faces, even as Shinokiri moved with a noticeable laborious wobble, but made no allowance for help—not even to lean on the great beast accompanying her.

Soon she would be free of her own limitations. Through it all, she decided, she must go. No matter how much she wanted to touch Sesshomaru once more. No matter how much her heart swelled when she shared a quiet peaceful moment with Inuyasha. Inside that snake, she knew, she could no longer be a pawn. A dead demon's wish had gone too far. She had maintained the value of her word…she followed through, but at what cost to herself? To what gain? Another attachment to a weak child? She needed to enact self-preservation, her instincts were off in this. It had to change. She had been a pawn to the benefit of other's desires for her entire life…but no matter what, none of hers had been truly fulfilled. Not even by the esteemed Inu no Taisho.

Too many allowances had been made. She was stuck in the consequences of her own self-neglect. And it took being sedentary first inside Kogane and now in this human village—it took over a century to fully sink in what she had allowed to be done with her.

 _The great compassionate ruler._ She scoffed, and a burning had begun to form in her eyes.

"Shinokiri-sama?"

The little girl looked up at her in concern. She had managed to tarnish her moment of peace with the human child. So, with that, she shook the thoughts from her head, emptying herself to complete the day.

Shinokiri collapsed to the ground, field of wildflowers. Rin giggled and followed suit and the pair looked up wistfully at the clouds. Their outing would not end as yet, it seemed. The elder gave a soft smile to the younger as the younger clung on to her waist. Rin was such a sweet affectionate child, and Shinokiri indulged her though rarely encouraged her in this. The girl truly enjoyed the quiet approachable nature of the mononoke. Always letting things happen to her, interactions, without protest—without a single word.

The demoness returned her attentions to the sky. The clouds seemed to taunt her in how freely the moved away, off to the fascination of another gaze of another restless soul far away. Perhaps, they too had the gurgling resting noises of a two-headed dragon soothe them into a dream-like state.

In the meantime, Rin had taken to showering petals over her chaperone. She delighted in the elegance of them floating downward, kissing Shinokiri's face and hair without the notice of the youkai. The pale yellow petals stood out in the gray and navy of her person, and Rin basked in the picture she had created: a memory to keep with her on gloomier days; colder days; days when the warmth of the sun was obscured by fog and wind and gray.

Rin swept the petals from her companion's face in quiet amusement. Shinokiri slowly closed her eyes and let the little one trace her markings and brush her hair aside. She slowly closed her eyes in a melancholic way, still enjoying the soft touch of the curious girl. Children held in them a divinity that seemed to wash away the aching of Shinokiri's longing. Longing for anything. It was quite possible that it was because she saw in them a hope she coveted for in herself.

Shinokiri could sense first the approach of Sango. She did not mind the woman at all. A noble person in her manner and the dignity with which she always carried herself despite the insufferable wandering eye of her husband. _Love. Loyalty._ Sango had with her an accompaniment of three others. It was Inuyasha, a human boy and a cat demon.

Rin jumped up, "Kohaku! You've come to visit."

"Oh, Shinokiri-hime. I hope we didn't bother you. We can go another way."

"Stay."

She slowly got up to acknowledge those new in her presence.

"So, what? Don't tell me you two are sitting out here doing nothing."

Inuyasha half joked as Shinokiri closed an eyelid in humor to look at him. She stretched her arms to lean on behind her.

"Shinokiri-hime! This is Sango's brother, Kohaku. He used to travel with me, and Jaken, and Sesshomaru-sama along with Kirara!" Kohaku gave a small bow in acknowledgment, as the small cat demon danced across his shoulders. He was a demon slayer.

"Were you not a demon slayer as well Sango? I heard of your impressive talents quite a bit from inside Kogane."

Sango nervously chuckled. "Yeah, I was." Anyone could hear the tinge of regret in her voice at using the past-tense.

"She was one of the best in our village…the youngest to be considered an expert," Kohaku offered, thinly veiling a prideful boast.

"Yes—but of course, children…" Sango gulped a bit.

"Your choice."

Inuyasha was growing annoyed with the topic at hand.

"It is a worthy sacrifice."

Shinokiri believed in what she just said though many females had no such agency. She firmly believed that women like Sango had worked for the right to pass on their bloodline. It was only a further honor and credit to them. Sango should have no shame in passing her greatness on at the cost of her own activity. Though it was fair to miss it, there was not much choice in the matter. Regardless of deserving children or not, once you had them they were paramount in precedence. A female never had much choice in the matter. 'Choice', that was a concept reserved for males.

"Speaking of children, poor Miroku must be suffering being left alone with them," Sango joked.

"Your kids are probably bearing the brunt of all the suffering in that situation," Inuyasha countered.

"I wish you'd slow down on having them."

Not much jest could be heard in Kohaku's voice. One could suppose he missed having exclusive access to his sister.

"You know, Kohaku…Shinokiri-hime is Lord Sesshomaru's wife. Remember when we met his mother?"

"Ha, yeah."

They must have been referring to the trials of the Meido stone. It would have had to have happened. Yes. Kohaku retold the whole thing, and it left Shinokiri rattled and uneasy. _Compassion._ She had learnt that Sesshomaru, on many other occasions, had put extreme effort into recovering or preserving this small human's life. The lives of everyone around her, even the pathetically obsequious Jaken. Though if she though hard, her service to Inu no Taisho was not dissimilar to Jaken's service to Sesshomaru. It was very similar in fact.

Yes, she might as well admit it to herself. _I'm pathetic._

Still, where was her compassion? Where was all that was owed to her, as much of her life she had put into duty and faithful service? Where was all she was promised? Inu no Taisho had lost faith in her. She was a failure; a disappointment. That's why she was relegated to that stinking spewing cell. She should have been the source of all that was required of Sesshomaru.

Instead, it was Rin. She was the one he learned to protect. The object of his affection and compassion. It was still in question, but maybe she'd grow to be the one to give him heirs, to warm his bed.

She should have provided him with something to protect…heirs. She should have been his confidant. The one he gave gentle glances to. The one he held close to him. The one he struggled to keep a hold of.

_Where was the compassion for me? What is my purpose in this all?_

She dare not look at Rin now. It would not be fair to either of them. Rin could not now of these feelings. Such a burning formed in every pore of her. A feverous splashing of emotions inside.

Inuyasha reached out to her, seeing how strange her posturing was. Shinokiri shrugged him off abrasively and Inuyasha immediately regretted bothering to care. It was this again, always this. As he knew would happen, the youkai lady, to the mounting confusion of everyone else, stumbled upward. Forcing all of her strength into her legs and dug into a forward motion…she quickened moving beyond what her potential should have been.

"Shinokiri-hime?"

Rin called out as the gap between them grew bigger. She began to realize that she was headed out of the clearing into the woods. Kirara and A-Un stiffened in the heaping tension.

 _What is my place in this life?_ She had to leave, it had to be now. She could waste no more time in thinking her deeds would get her anything in this realm of existence. Waiting, she came to grips with in that moment, would not only be the theme of her life but her downfall.

Shinokiri's thoughts slid into a painful abyss.

"Shinokiri-hime!"

Rin grew increasingly concerned. Kohaku looked around in helpless confusion to Sango for answers. Helpless, she turned to Inuyasha. He groaned and got up, stomping off back to the village.

"Should we go after her Inuyasha?"

Rin turned her full attention to the hanyou waiting for his reply to Sango's inquiry.

"Forget it you guys. Don't bother. If she comes back then, whatever…just get used to it Rin, I mean you should be used to this bullshit already anyway."

He immediately regretted his insinuation of the parallel in the unreliability of her two inuyoukai idols. In a panic Rin got up to run after Shinokiri, quickly getting lost in the accumulating mist. The trees began to blur into one another. Inky blotched lines on a pallid obscured palette. One thing merging into the next, starting before the other finished. She could hardly see her hands before her face.

**The impermanence of everything can be surmised in listening to the withdrawing and landing of waves on a shore. The sound gave one an unspoken understanding; an unexplainable one. The knowledge sat within one wordlessly—without any semblance of any language.**

**Without opening her eyes, Shinokiri could see the imprint of her mate's visage. She felt him there beside her, in the open, in the snow, by the ocean. In all of the loss perhaps there would be something new. Finally. Her life's purpose.**

**Sesshomaru had lost control and taken her in a way that ensured the promise of an heir. She would prove the worth in her existence to herself with the completion of this, but it had been initiated. She would be a mother. A mother to great leaders. To legends. She could feel it within her. Perhaps, only a figment, but she could feel it growing, becoming the nexus of her dreams.**

**Her lord pressed himself into her neck. They each dwelled in a world of each other's scent. Neither had forgotten the dire sadness of the lingering situation above their heads. But maybe, Shinokiri thought,** **_maybe there is hope…_ **

**They both lay there face to face, and when Shinokiri allowed her eyes to open she sensed a shift in him. Sesshomaru slowly used his weight to get her on her back and pin her there. Shinokiri tried to adjust the position to no avail.**

**"** **My lord?"**

**"** **I was careless."**

**Shimokiri's eyes darted about, searching, trying to find understanding in the eyes staring coldly down at her.**

**"** **Sesshomaru-sama?"**

**"** **It cannot be. It is not my will. It is not my choice."**

**Shinokiri began to panic and struggle against him. She felt his hand slip tightly between them, parallel to her womb.**

**"** **No, my lord please."**

**It was a strange thing, indeed, to see a demoness of Shinokiri's stature cry. She did, though. For the first time in her own memory. Not even when it came into her understanding that she had been abandoned did she cry. Yet, there she was an accomplished warrior, sage and strong, choking on tears. The veins in her temples bulged out as her face grew red with strain.**

**"** **Please, my lord, please, no…"**

**She sounded hoarse, her crying primal.**

**Sesshomaru grappled to keep his grip on her steady. He ignored her repetitive pleading, the echoing and vibrating of her agonized weeping against his chest.**

**"** **You will not die, but it cannot live."**

**She felt it. The radiant green of poison burning through her. From deep within her flowed a ghastly unearthly bellowing of such all-encompassing grief as to set one's teeth on edge.**

Shinokiri set her weight against the trunk of a tree, deep within the forest. She lay all of her burdens on it, weakened by all she had buried in the depths of her heart. As if to not slip from the very earth she dug her claws into the very center of the layers of bark. It would feel what she felt. Utterly ruining any chance of the great and established structure of surviving. Sliding down, slicing through all of those years of life lived in one spot, Shinokiri landed at its roots. Separating one had from its bowels she transferred it to the bottom of her abdomen. Such a base and wooden sound came croaking from her. There would be no warmth today: no breath nor life.

There would be no warmth today: no breath nor life.


	9. In the Thick of the Fog

Chapter 9

In the Thick of the Fog

Her breathing was shallow, hyperventilating and unintentionally filling the forest with a white haziness. It was clear that she had overextended herself. Still clinging to a shredded tree trunk, Shinokiri made an attempt to collect her wits about her, but despair had only been displaced by rage.

She withdrew the naginata from her hair. With a rumbling drone, it released into the full scope of its towering form. She dug the blade into the earth and used it as leverage to arise from the ground. She had ceased to inhabit her body at this point. Wildly, she sung at any and everything, felling trees and their limbs irreverently. Such a thunderous sonorous gong could be heard from great distances.

_It will end_

"Shinokiri-hime!" The yell was so mumbled together that none of the syllables held any accent. 'Cut into four.' Certainly, Shinokiri could not be considered whole.

_I will end it_

"Shinokiri-hime!"

The demoness' naginata cut through the muddling gloom and halted, abruptly before the neck of a trembling Rin. Brown dilated eyes met red ones.

"Shinokiri-hime?"

In stress, the child fainted. A winded Shinokiri vomited from the narrowness of the moment and from overextension. She dropped to one knee and flung her naginata aside, wiping spittle on her sleeve. Panting, she crawled to the side of the small child, lazily staring at the silly lopsided ponytail dangling at the top of her head.

She caressed her face and tucked stray strands of hair behind Rin's ear. She paid no notice to the defiled landscape of desecrated trees surrounding her; only the movement of her hand sliding downward to the tiny fragile neck of the child. Shinokiri stroked it, pressing her thumb at the sensitive base of the throat eliciting a strangled moan. The growling figure of A-Un stepped forward prompting Shinokiri to release Rin and collapse to her back in surrender. With an aggravated sigh, she found within her a jolt of energy to get back up.

_My legs are still useless_

Shinokiri bemoaned her state as she labored in flinging the unconscious Rin onto the saddled back of the two-headed dragon. Leaning heavily on the reins, the three made their way back.

**In the haar and the snow, Shinokiri found company only in her sorrow. A ghastly open wound marred her midriff…exposed by a tattered hakama. It was not lethally deep. The poison only needed to enter her blood stream, and it had, coursing through her for hours. Her mate had long since left her behind to sweat in convulsion—contorting in agony.**

**Shinokiri cursed at the sky, at everything, and spat as if to reject the malady within her. She rolled as if being picked up by an external force. It was over at this point. The only thing left was to move forward, she was running behind.**

**Clutching at the base of her she determinedly swept further into the interior of the land. The first thing she would do is prevent a scar from forming. She searched the air for the desired scent. A battlefield.**

**Inu no Taisho was long gone, Myoga had acted directly and fastidiously, but the remains of the army he slaughtered still laid strewn about the landscape. With a succinct motion to the largest body she could find. She dashed off, making a note to return to hopefully find Myoga had completed his task.**

**On her shoulder, the large slain samurai seemed bereft of mass. Perhaps he meant much to many, but now he was a nameless of tool in a singular mission.**

**_It must be as if it never happened…It never happened_ **

**Shinokiri reached her destination, quite distractedly, almost passing it. She stood outside of a small crevice in the mountain.**

**"** **Majogumo."**

**Shinokiri called out for the onibaba, plopping the corpse at her feet. The creeping spider slid out from the shadow of the rocks, crawling about and twisting her head to respond to the beckoning. She had the face of a sickly pox-marked old woman, but when one looked at her liver spotted extremities, one could see that there were eight.**

**"** **Shi-no-kiri," the old oni stressed every syllable as if to recognize her visitor in each one. "What do you desire?"**

**"** **Do not be daft, spider."**

**Their eyes narrowed at each other.**

**"** **Have you brought me an offering?"**

**"** **You get to eat the scraps." Shinokiri stood defiant, very matter-of-fact.**

**"** **Beware of taking my kindness for granted inu," the spider said with a snort. Hurriedly, the old demon encased the dead body in silk and satiated her hunger…devouring all that she could from it. Satisfied, she dragged the cocoon into her lair and Shinokiri squeezed herself passed the jagged rocks to follow. Finally, reaching a spacious inner chamber, the spider threw the wrapped corpse into a giant empty caldron.**

**Shinokiri grimaced at the smell of rendering fat that seemed to catch at the back of her throat. Majogomo ladled the globs of partially melted fat with one appendage and siphoned it to a bowl in another, all the while stirring the pot over the fire. Another arm, and another added concoctions of all description in a frenzy. The spider nudged toward the visibly charred flesh of the inu's stomach.**

**"** **I never figured you for vanity…is your mate bothered by scars? Does it put a damper on the mood?" The onibaba croaked out a laugh.**

**Shinokiri stayed in silent impatience, begging to be relieved of the hag's presence. Handing her the potion, the taiyokai barely allowed the save to reach the bottom of the bottle before effectively scrubbing it into her wound. With a glow, the lacerations began to close without blemish.**

**_It never happened_ **

**Wordlessly, Shinokiri exited the lair with the intention of making herself once again presentable to the world. "You could thank me, you wretch."**

Kagome stared out into the darkening wilderness. From her vantage point, she could see a clearing in the forest spread with clamorous gusto. "What on earth—INUYASHA?! Shouldn't you be searching for them?"

"She's in a mood. I'm not dealing with it."

"What about Rin?"

"Aye," interjected Kaede. "She's out there as well. Think of her."

"Just shut up and relax. It'll be fine."

The hanyou was more perceptive than people gave him credit. It was something about children that always pushed the Shinokiri off of the edge. Not necessarily being around them, but talking about them. That was the trigger.

_Maybe she's barren_

Whatever was the cause, nothing justified how unpleasant and destructive she'd become.

**"** **Kiri-chan, do you have babies?"**

**A bright and wide-eyed Inuyasha stared up at her.**

**"** **No."**

**"** **How come?"**

**Shinokiri froze in place, turning slowly to the pup with a sneer.**

**"** **You disgust me. It's not natural for abominations like you to be born."**

**It seemed to come from nowhere. Inuyasha reached out for her in confusion only to be shaken off. He'd have to make his way back to his mother in the unfamiliar woods alone.**

Inuyasha tried to remember better times. He had to. As trying as she was, she was the only individual besides his mother to show any sort of affection towards him; the once friendless young hanyou.

**"** **Why does my mother cry when no one plays with me?"**

**"** **She knows you will have a lonely life."**

**"** **Why? Why do they leave when I come near?"**

**"** **Fear, Inuyasha."**

**Shinokiri scooped up the pup in her arms. She cradled him close to her, his forehead to her chin.**

**"** **They fear you because you will be more powerful than they could ever imagine. You will surpass them all little one."**

"I see them! Kaede-baba! Inuyasha-kun! They're fine!"

Kagome rushed back inside with excited relief.

"They're almost here. I can see them coming."

"I told you it would be fine, stupid."

"Os—"

"Not inside," Kaede warned. By then Inuyasha had already made his escape. Standing outside the hut he and Shinokiri made eye contact as the distance closed.

Inuyasha carried Rin inside in his arms, letting Shinokiri stumble inside behind him. Kagome and Kaede hovered over the child before looking to Shinokiri as she slid down the wall in a clutter to the floor.

"She's too excitable. Worked herself up and passed out."

Inuyasha's gaze shaped itself into a glare.

"You have issues lady."

**The colic pup wriggled around in Izayoi's arms. The human looked drained and completely out of her depth.**

**"** **He has so much energy…from his father I imagine."**

**"** **Hn."**

**Shinokiri looked at the wailing child with trepidation. She could not recall a moment in which Inu no Taisho had displayed reminiscent behavior.**

**"** **There's no making him happy it seems…"**

**Izayoi said with a tired chuckle. She seemed to be trying to entice conversation. Shinokiri would drop in periodically to ask the same question, "Do you or the little one want for anything?"**

**Of course, they didn't. Izayoi was preened and pampered princess. The only thing she was starved of was a two-sided interaction. She was shunned in her own palace, and Inuyasha simply could not fill the hole that the lack of companionship had left. She was going mad from loneliness.**

**"** **Would you like to give it a go?"**

**Izayoi already had the pup outstretched before Shinokiri could process the question. The demoness recoiled before she hesitantly took him. Almost immediately he began to coo and stuff her hair in his mouth.**

**Shinokiri spun his smiling face to her cringing one. She seemed to flinch with each gurgling giggle. It all culminated in him spitting up on her hair.**

**"** **Oh, my deepest apologies…I never—"**

**Shinokiri silenced her with a look. She could not have thrown the child back to his mother quicker. Flinching at the closeness of her own hair, she left in almost a flurry.**

As grown as he was now, Inuyasha still looked exactly as he did as a newborn. Shinokiri looked away from him.

"Sh-shinokiri-hime?"

Everyone's attention rested on the stirring child.

"Are you ok Rin?"

Kagome stroked her forehead, "What happened?" Rin ignored this, sitting up to look at Shinokiri.

"You were so upset. I was scared."

Shinokiri sighed. "It's done now Rin. I'm sorry you were frightened." They were all only marginally satisfied by this, but everyone in the hut decided it was best to put the matter to rest. Rin perked up and scuttled across the room to Shinokiri.

"OK!"

She gleefully pulled the demoness into a tight embrace, "I thought you were going to leave."

"Not yet Rin."

They stayed close to each other. The child was unwavering in her sweetness without being jarring. Almost nothing less could force any warmth out of Sesshomaru…almost nothing.

**"** **Shinokiri. You have failed to influence my son entirely." Inu no Taisho looked at the bowing younger demon wearily.**

**"** **By now you should, at least, be with child," Sesshomaru's mother added with an irritated clenching and unclenching of her fist.**

**"** **He does not wish to impregnate me."**

**Her two betters both looked to each other and then at her. Shinokiri could feel their eyes boring holes into the back of her skull.**

**"** **This is unacceptable. I expected better from you."**

**Shinokiri took this as her cue to back out of the room carefully.**

**"** **Many apologies, my lord, my lady."**

**She waited until she was out entirely before allowing herself to turn forward. Dejected and low, she shuffled through the hall.**

**"** **You've made life difficult for me Sesshomaru-sama."**

**She didn't have to turn around: she sensed him, smelt him.**

**"** **Will you die without my father's favor?" He grabbed her pushing her against the wall. Shinokiri responded by capturing him in a deep and passionate kiss. The two carried on, stroking nose to nose in the interim of their kisses. Shamelessly they fondled each other, moaning amorously.**

**"** **They will think I'm defective if they see us this way and nothing to show for it."**

**"** **Are you so common as to let that bother you?"**

**Shinokiri slapped him off of her in annoyance. Sesshomaru smirked at her. In these moments he seemed almost playful.**

**"** **Don't touch me anymore."**

**Sesshomaru drew her back to him, leering at her. "You don't mean that."**

**"** **Just because you don't want it, doesn't mean I don't mean it. If I can't give you an heir then there's no use in all of this."**

**Sesshomaru began to nibble and suck at her neck, and she in kind leaned into it moaning. He breathed in her ear, "You are mine to do with as I please."**

Shinokiri looked out to the moon.

_When will he return?_


	10. Parting is a Gift

Chapter 10

Parting is a Gift

Even at this obscene hour of night, the village was a hive of activity. Profane amounts of gold bubbled and gurgled through its vein. An entire populous writhe with disposable income. A quaint and rural farming village had begun to attract attention from the merchant class. It seemed that a much larger village had sprung from nothingness and engulfed the old one.

It was fine. They had already harvested for the winter. Free from work they could gallivant, whore and carouse, to their heart's content. Their only collapse would be when they realized that they had left their new riches on the caravans of impermanent outsiders, and by spring it would be as it once was again. This would be a golden winter, without hardship. A winter far from what a winter was in construct.

The grey-haired inu crept from the old priestess' hut. She passed through throngs of people up and about finding new ways to squander their wealth. Huddles and bundled in winter haoris, they looked curious and quite ridiculous the Shinokiri. It was safe to say that she would never fully grasp what drove this sort of behavior. Demons were more pure in this sense, their pleasure more singular and straight forward. Currency was such an inefficient and roundabout pathway to power and influence.

It was time to leave this place and all of her new acquaintances behind. Otherwise, she'd just be stranded waiting to catch a glimpse of Sesshomaru again. The more sedentary she was, the less resistance she had to her desire for his attentions. It stood to reason, if she kept moving, kept busy, these desires would be stifled.

She believed she was well enough to leave now, but had yet to be given the opportunity to actually test it. She would need to assess her own wellness before continuing on her way. Far enough from the village she stopped within a wide expansive canyon.

By only the light of the moon, Shinokiri struck a great and ancient rock face. Repeatedly. She assaulted it with her legs, over and over again. She alternated the angle, the height, the force, but she kicked it without respite. Her legs were almost back to their former functionality. It had been an imperative for her to get to this point. Each strike carved through the rock sending shrapnel flying, boring into other sections of cliff face.

_Kagura. Sara. Rin._

Their names beat the time to keep pace with her savage defacement of nature. They had all received a level of care from Sesshomaru beyond that which he showed to his mate. At least, that's what she believed. Compassion. Had he ever shown her that? Perhaps when he held her close and carried her to Kaede's hut…carried her when she could not walk…was that his compassion?

He had obviously changed. Softened. Yet, she could not shake that it was Rin's influence and not her own. The human child. He had already told her he had no illicit intentions towards the girl. The transformative influence of children? Maybe, but the uncertainty of her own position in relation to Rin gnawed at her. Embarrassingly, it gnawed at her. No matter how ashamed she was of her own thought, they persisted.

She knew within herself that she meant something to the taiyoukai. They meant something to each other, but just what that was, was not at all apparent to her…or even him for that matter. He could be so cruel and cold, yet he insisted on keeping her under his power. She was his mate, but they had failed to conceive—at his command. So then what?

 _It is exactly as he said, I am a means of release._ A comfort to his natural and primitive lust. She was just a vehicle of containment.

Shinokiri became aggravated at her own thought and violently shook them from her head. She stood back to look at the product of her work. It would have to do. She was unsure if she'd ever be as limber and nimble as she was pre-Kogane. It dawned on her just how much of herself she had given up for one family.

_Inu no Taisho. Inuyasha. Sesshomaru._

They had all took precedence of her own person in some way or form. It was imperative to remedy this. _No More._ She had gotten to a breaking point…she would do no more…she could do no more.

For centuries. For her the bulk of her existence, Shinokiri's time nor entity was her own. Both had always been used as pawns for the benefit of others. A formidable and accomplished demon of the highest order, in her own right, she had squandered her capabilities on the whim of others.

**"** **Your absence has not gone unnoticed Shinokiri-hime."**

**Myoga happily slurped at the neck of the demoness. Flicking him she sarcastically retorted "I am happy to provide the meal, flea," before flicking him off of her skin.**

**"** **As true as that is my lady, I meant only to say that the lord has been unbearably more irritable."**

**"** **Considering your blatant measures in avoiding him, I fail to see how you'd know that."**

**Myoga found his way back to the fur at Shinokiri's shoulders. "I have heard many whispers and I can see no reason to think to the contrary."**

**Shinokiri made no attempt at a response, and having silently waited for one longer than is customary, Myoga continued.**

**"** **I imagine you are coming from young Master Inuyasha's side. I am headed to him myself. Have you made any progress in your final task for our great fallen ruler?"**

**"** **Leave me to my task"**

**She flicked him off of her once again and continued her trek.**

**Finding the Oto no Joka Kabe had preoccupied decades upon decades of time. Its host had proved to be exceedingly elusive and Shinokiri considered each moment in ignorance a failure.**

**Bouncing back from the young hanyou to her quest was exacerbating and only gave her a sense that she was remiss in both tasks. She had to choose. Eventually she knew that she would have to forget about keeping tabs on the half-breed. He was stymying her progress and Inu no Taisho had never asked her to keep him under her watch for this long. No. It was her own concern that kept her returning to him.**

**He was much older than she was when she was left defenseless and alone. She had faith that he would be fine…on the cusp of adolescence, he should be fine. Soon. Soon she would break away and devote herself entirely to her last cause.**

**By this time she had gone quite a distance, and she would need to cross through her mate's territory. She tensed in preparation. He always managed to slow her down.**

**"** **Sesshomaru-sama."**

**She could smell him approaching and spoke loud enough as to be in his ear-shot.**

**"** **I can smell the bastard half-breed on you."**

**She turned to meet his sight line. "Are you surprised?"**

**"** **You have been shirking your responsibilities." His eyes narrowed at her accusatorially as he continued toward her.**

**"** **You always seem to find me when you need them performed," she said in genuine good humor. Earnestly she surrendered to his embrace as he closed in on her, backing her up to a tree.**

**"** **It's not enough." At that he earnestly and gently brushed his lips against hers, exploring her with his hands. It had, however, been enough for her. Each time she saw him was bittersweet, a reminder that she was not yet a mother; that she could have been a mother; that this was all in his control. She made a weak start at brushing him off.**

**"** **I'm too busy for this."**

**Sesshomaru became incensed at the very idea and slammed her back against the tree.**

**"** **I thought the goal was to overcome this particular weakness, my lord."**

**"** **Silence."**

**He firmly pressed his hand to her neck igniting an aroused gasp from her. She would submit to him. She always did. This statue of male perfection melted everything of the resolve she worked up within her. Though their current willingness was unequal, when in each other's presence their carnal weaknesses became matched. All discord would be forgotten.**

**Like a starving man put before a feast, though Shinokiri grew accustomed to the balmy hollow ache of being away from Sesshomaru, once her eyes lay upon him she was smitten and defeated. No fire of conviction could withstand the magnetism of her apetite for her mate.**

His persistence spoke to his weakness for the flesh, and her acceptance spoke to her weakness for him. Always him. Only him. The insinuation was that her lack of replicability was incumbent on how untenable it was to replace her. He, on the other hand, could not be replaced. For reasons both political and emotional, she needed him specifically.

She needed him for status, yes. And yet, she yearned for him and him alone. And yet again, was it not his power and status that held her attraction to him true? The two were intermingled. There was no one else like Lord Sesshomaru, and so no one else would do.

It was a strange and slight alteration to her relationship with the great Inu no Taisho, however that slight alteration made big strides in the difference of the nature of those relationships. She was enamored with Sesshomaru by virtue of his connection to Inu no Taisho. It was Inu no Taisho's power and status that had ultimately won her great admiration and loyalty.

And as such, the same could be said for her relationship with Inuyasha. She would have had no semblance of inclination towards him had it not been for his bloodline. Yet, from that Inuyasha was the closest thing to a child she had ever known.

It was lineage and prestige that kept up these bonds. Compassion served only as a thin and frail thread connecting these relationships. It made shimmering appearances but was quickly lost sight of. Emotions were such a brittle and unreliable thing.

"You gonna bail now?"

Inuyasha's gruff voice pierced the silence.

"Yes."

The hanyou scoffed, "Of course, typical."

Shinokiri turned to face him and arched an eyebrow.

"That's how you operate. You always do this…it's not like I'm surprised or anything."

He crossed his arms over his chest and continued, "Not like you'd say goodbye to anyone or anything like that."

"They barely know me."

"Rin looks up to you, ya'know?"

"She has others for that sort of thing." Shinokiri sighed looking at the obviously upset Inuyasha and tried to explain.

"I need to leave…for me. For once, I need to do something for me."

Inuyasha acquiesced to this. He could not refute her on that point, and he knew it. No matter how personally neglected he had felt in his life because of her, he could not in good conscience make the argument that she had ever done so for selfish reasons. Stupid reasons, yes, but not selfish ones.

His shoulders relaxed and he let her get close to him. She touched her forehead to his and took a deep breath, trying to capture the scent from his silver locks. It brought back to his mind all of the times she had held him close to soothe him, or just to get him through a restless night. All of those disjointed visits had added up to a lifetime together over the course of a century. She had nurtured him longer than any other creature…even if it was in her own elusive and limited way. She had done the best by him that she could. He knew this.

"I am forever grateful to the kindness you've shown me. You and all of your companions. It is a credit to you that they accepted my so easily. Let them know I wish them well"

"Whatever. Everyone got rich off you and that snake anyway. " Inuyasha grunting, broke from her and turned his head away as a sign of compliance.

With that and a small sad smile she disappeared into the night.


	11. Footfalls Echo in the Memory

Chapter 11

Footfalls Echo in the Memory

Sesshomaru barged into Kaede's hut flaring at the nostrils. He had set off a disturbance of animals and objects, al fluttering about in a calamitous clangor. The old priestess and Rin, barely rid of sleep, felt a supreme upset in their spirits at the assault of the senses, leaping into an unnatural awakening as frost and snow billowed into the hut.

"I don't smell her…she's not here." His eyes sprang to all corners of the room scanning everything wildly. His eyes were red and a primal tonality was present in his voice.

Instinctively, Kaede shielded the child and tried to stifle her frightened coughing.

"Shinokiri-hime left one night without notice."

By now the sight of Sesshomaru in such a volatile state had so deeply affected Rin that she began to cry. This melted the taiyoukai out of his inflamed state and steadied himself. It would be his greatest displeasure to have the little girl be petrified of him.

"Stop crying Rin."

With a succession of muting sniffles she complied. Wiping her tears, she popped her head up from Kaede's comforting embrace and wiped her face on her yukata sleeve.

"I don't know why she left Sesshmaru-sama. We just woke up and she was gone. She never said anything."

The inu took in the full scope of the words and looked to the ceiling in dissatisfaction. His head turned as if questioning the walls before he stepped out of hut to see Inuyasha coming toward him.

"What the hell Sesshomaru?! I can hear you from—"

The poor hanyou's face was stopped and caught unawares by its sudden connection with Sesshomaru's fist.

"She was in your charge, half-breed."

Inuyasha held his jaw as he grimaced up at his half-brother from the grey accumulated sludge of re-frozen snow he had found himself in.

"What was I supposed to do? Chain her up? She wanted to go."

"Hn. How long?"

"I don't know, about a week. I thought she would've just gone off to find you. Guess she's sick of your shit." Inuyasha forced a chuckle from his groans as he nursed his back.

"M'lord! M'lord!" Jaken heaved as he caught up to the action.

"Stay here Jaken."

The inu youkai darted off into the forest leaving everyone behind, not quite sure of what had just occurred.

Sesshomaru, much to his own chagrin, could be described as being in a state of panic. His nose searched and searched for her scent. If he could pick it up then he could find her, trace out her path. It was to no avail, it seemed as if she had made a concerted effort to travel with the wind.

It was happening again, and that was maddening to him. Little traces of her scent hung on branches or by the river, but offered him no direction. It was like it had been before, when only the ghost of her seemed present in all things.

_The stream…_

It occurred to him that she must be swimming, knowing full well the water would obscure her scent to him. Her scent was going downstream in the water, but upstream by the banks. She seemed to be headed in the mountains. Yet, it still was unclear as to why she would leave so abruptly to do this.

_What unfathomably dim scheme is she involved in now?_

With a clear head and objective, Seshomaru made way in altitude. As the river turned into a stream, he could finally pick up her scent again. She could tell she was traveling at a saunter…did this mean she had no focus? Why was she up here?

The air was thick with fog, whether it was hers or natural was unclear, but up the mountain path leaping from height to height, the demon could only catch glimpses of what was below. It was as if he had entered another realm of dreams, quickly clipping from one image to the next, all the same but somehow altered. Everything was white and grey and black. Everything was slipping into each other. All was murky and unsure.

**They both seemed in a whirl of silk and hair. Dewy, they clung to each other lost in their sense of touch. Sesshomaru propped himself above her and looked deep into her eyes. Warm amber eyes….warmer than his own. His fingers raked through her bangs as he took in the gaze of his mate. Even beneath him one could tell she was an imposing figure; large for a female. Her eyes always met his; never left his when challenged.**

**Shinokiri chuckled and broke contact. She was relaxed. In this moment, there was no need to battle him on anything. "I have no idea what the outside world is like anymore."**

**Sesshomaru plopped back down on the fabric of the mattress. "To my pleasure."**

**"** **Am I your prisoner then, my lord?" A lilting quality entered her voice. She was amused.**

**"** **You are mine."**

**Though eloquent in manner, Sesshomaru could never be mistaken for erudite.**

Sesshomaru halted, he had gone as far as he needed to go, somewhere in the tones of gray there would be his mate; her fragrance overwhelmed the air here.

"I wish you would not have followed me up here."

"What is your purpose in this Shinokiri?

The demoness stepped into view before him looking distantly passed him.

"I am tired my lord."

Seshommaru stared at her blankly. What on earth could be her meaning in this? She seemed to nod in understanding and elaborated.

"It's time for me to find my own path to follow. I have gone too far away from myself…this is how I feel."

"Insolence. You belong to this Sesshomaru, you will not leave again."

Anger and confusion built up inside the demon lord's chest. This bolting in and out of his life was wearing him thin. She had to learn her place. Her pace was by his side. Before the will of Inu no Taisho should have been his own will. It had been 200 years and he had only just now managed to wriggle from his shadow. It was time now for her to fully subjugate herself to him.

"No."

His frustration mounted at this, "No?"

"I belong to myself, and I must find what it is that means for me. I must know what it is to live for myself before I leave this world."

Sesshomaru closed his eyes in contemplation. The whole thing seemed flippant to him. His attention moved to Shinokiri's arm rising to her ponytail, unsheathing her naginata and pointing it directly at him. Circling each other, there was an obvious hesitation at play.

"Please leave my lord. This is something I must do."

His only response was to wield bakusaiga in retaliation. Charging at her as she side-stepped him, flipping the naginata around to lunge at him. He made no attempt too truly attack her with the yoki of his sword, rather using it simply in its docile sate. They battled as humans would, attacking, defending, evading. Neither made an attempt at serious harm, and as such the great inu became complacent and was nicked in the thigh.

All fell silent and still as they both watched the blood rise to the surface of the wound. Sesshomaru's livid eyes shot to his mate as he swung his sword at her with the full extent of his might. Shinokiri barely managed to block it and slid back, close to the edge of the mountain. Now crouched, trying to find her center of gravity, she looked at a piece of her naginata back and forth to each hand. He had cut it clean in half. The vibrations of which could still be felt in both of their hands. From the broken naginata through to hilt of the demon lord's sword.

**"** **Your weapon is inadequate Shinokiri."**

**She looked up at Inu no Taisho as she slid the weapon back into her hair. He was right, making up for the weakness of the weapon itself was slowing her in her tasks. Though many a dead oni lied before her, she was aware that Inu no Taisho could dispose of a far greater number in one fell swoop. It only had its recognition of her as its master, and its outstanding size in its favor. There was nothing else to recommend the weapon besides her peculiar partiality towards it.**

**The daiyoukai thought of Shinokrir wielding the mediocre weapon as a gross waste of potential. Yet, this was the first time he made any real mention of it, and he had expected her to use her connections through him to obtain a more suitable instrument.**

**"** **Yes, I know it is limited my lord, but it is mine."**

**"** **Totosai, can forge for you a much better naginata. At the very least, let him modify this one."**

**Shinokiri turned and started to walk away, "It's all I have left."**

**Inu no Taisho seemed to understand and let the younger demoness be. He only chuckled and made his way in the same direction.**

A large inner struggle waged within Shinokiri. _A clean break._ She squeezed the fractured naginata in each hand making the color drain from her knuckles. _A clean break._

She had been reborn from Kogane's belly into a new world, one where she must question every inclination she had ever had. They had proved to weigh her down, to drown her in a lake of other's imagining. In the dark of the snake's stomach she could feel the resentment grow within her.

**"** **Kogane!"**

**Shinokiri had found her. Deep within a petulant swampland the serpent resided, engulfing passing merchant caravans. As they traveled across the moors she snatched the life from within them. It was flesh that sustained her, but the glittering of precious trinkets that attracted her eyes.**

**She had poor sight and so it was that which was precious which always came to her attention. She could feel the energies of men lie with their treasures and so obtaining their gold meant obtaining their flesh. They never seemed to let go. Through that she became covetous of the metal and anything of comparable preciousness.**

**In turn, most human men made the grave mistake of attempting to kill her. Bewitched by her glittering scales many men wished to skin her and become rich from her flesh. Others were only enticed by the beauty of her human form. Whichever, it would be the greed of men that met her hunger.**

**At the call of her name, Kogane slithered onto the heath.**

**"** **What do you want inu?" Kogane raised herself up to full stature, puffing out to intimidate the strange intruder.**

**"** **By the command of Inu no Taisho, I am to guard something which resides within your stomach."**

**The snake hissed. "Do you mean to retrieve it from me then?"**

**"** **I mean to protect it."**

**Kogane laughed scornfully.**

**"** **Stop wasting my time."**

**She meant to slither away, but the rival demoness had drawn her weapon out of nowhere. It seemed she would have to address the issue.**

**Shinokiri shakily held her naginata. She knew what she must do, but not how long for. This was at great risk to her own safety. How long should she stay in there…could she actually get out if she tried? Inu no Taisho made no attempt at easing any of these concerns. Should she just blindly carry out his instructions, he had long since been dead. There would be no love lost from the grave.**

**Shinokiri quieted her mind as the snake's mouth engulfed her.**

With everything she could muster she discarded the weapon over the side of the mountain. That was it. The greatest inanimate anchor to her past had been thrown aside, and so now she turned to her greatest animate one.

"The price has not been paid, I am not yours." Shinokiri growled through gritted teeth as she raised herself from the ground.

Quickly, Sesshomaru went to close the distance. He tenderly put his hand to her cheek and stroked it with his thumb.

"This is not what you truly believe."

Shinokiri boxed his hand from her face and spat bitterly. "I believe that I have been yours Lord Sesshomaru. I have been your receptacle." Hot tears stung at the ducts in her eyes.

The white clad taiyokai's shoulders rounded and gave Shinokiri a strange and alien look to what she had ever received from him. He continued to look at her as she dug her heels to the ground and breathed deliberately and defiantly. He met this with a long and labored sigh.

"A price?" He asked a question he very much knew the answer to. For a moment he looked to the grayness above in wonder. Quite abruptly, he seized hold of her ponytail, forcing her closer to him.

"Then I shall meet your demands."

Shinokiri tensed throughout her body, not at his grip, but at his word. _No_. She would not be toyed with. She would keep her resolve. This was just a cheap ploy.

She looked him directly in the eyes and moved her hand to his chest. "Say it then, Sesshomaru-sama."

"You will bear me an heir." He said it in a low firm rumble and the words shook through each of the demoness' nerve endings. Her hands traveled downward and slithered into his hakama.

"An heir." She leisurely repeated while maintaining eye contact. The satisfied look on Sesshomaru's face would dissolve into rage as Shinokiri's hand found her mark and threateningly pressed into it with her claws. He had never experienced such a vile betrayal of trust. The threat loomed in the air making it dense and unbreathable.

"Your words are hollow Sesshomaru."

He took her neck in his glowing hands, ready to poison her or even push the life from her lungs, but she was steadfast.

"Let me go."

It was Shinokiri's voice that uttered this. She was close to the edge now, but she demanded rather than pleaded.

"Let. Me. Go." As if in punctuation she pressed harder into him. With a gulping swallow of his pride he let go. He watched as she kicked herself off of the rocky ledge, disappearing into the ether.

 


	12. Into Severance

Chapter 12

Into Severance

Shinokiri discarded the trinket from her hair that had served as her naginata's scabbard. She had kept it for so long that to some extent it felt like severing a limb. It had occurred to her that perhaps she should find a new weapon…but what was the use? She, at this time, had no master to kill for—no plans for personal conquest.

She was so lost in this moment. There were no discernable paths for her to take in this new world. It was as if she was a pup again, isolated from a semblance of home or family.

**"** **This one. We have to get rid of this one."**

**The young Shinokiri was barely awake, but she heard it. She had only been alive for a hand full of summers, but she knew something was wrong. She felt her mother's had sweep over her eyes to urge her back into sleep.**

**She would wake in the forest alone, with a battered engraved wooden ornament dangling in her hair. The little demon pulled at it and as it drew outward it became far too heavy for her to continue, knocking her back to the earth.**

She had reached the castle in the sky; keeping her head down she approached the Gobodo-sama.

"Ah Shinokiri, your—"

"It broke. I had no reason to keep it."

The two both referenced the lost hair ornament. The older demoness proceed, moving on from the persistence at her confusion at its absence.

"So, you've managed to crawl out of whatever hole you were hiding in. Tell me, how is my son and his human ward?"

"That is why I have come Gobodo-sama. To pay homage to you and alert you to the fact that I am relinquishing my duties towards your son indefinitely."

The dowager wrinkled her nose at the younger female. "You do this without providing an heir?"

"I have performed most loyally to the Western realm. Beyond even the provision of an heir, the fault lies in your son."

As far as Sesshomaru's mother knew, this was completely the case. There was no need to admit her new role in this failure.

"It was never this complicated between Inu no Taisho and I. What will happen should Sesshomaru die…am I to give over this palace to the hanyou and his priestess?"

"There's worse that could happen." Shinokiri thought better than to look up, she knew she had crossed a line.

The older demoness silently fumed before swallowing her agitation. "I'm glad you see such humor in the situation Shinokiri." She waved her hand in a grand gesticulatory manner at nothing in particular.

"Why bother bring this to my attention? I have no real potency in these matters. Why should I…only being your mother in law…having raised you from a shabby foundling to all that you are now?" The drama of this let Shinokiri know she could now relax, there would be no further objection.

"Thank you Gobodo-sama."

**"** **Why does she not just stay here, she would benefit more from being companion to our son than being your minion." Inu no Taisho's met peered behind his back at the young female pup clinging to his legs.**

**"** **She seems to not want to leave my side."**

**"** **Irresistible as ever I see."**

**The sardonic comment had a tang of seriousness to it coming from the lady demoness. A tiny Sesshomaru rounded the corner and snatched the smaller demon from his father's side.**

**"** **It smells, father."**

**He handled her roughly, marking the back of her neck with his claws. His mother ran to separate him from the orphan. With a knowing look she nodded up at her mate.**

**"** **So be it. Keep the child in darkness and filth at your side."**

**He had not though. He had provided Shinokiri with all of the tools she needed to become a great lady over the centuries she spent as his charge, and that she had become. He himself had noticed as the now mature Shinokiri knelt beside him to read a treatise. Interrupting her, he took some strands of her ponytail into his hands as he carefully eyed her up and down.**

**"** **You have grown into a fine form, Shinokiri."**

**This odd action perplexed her greatly, "My lord?"**

**"** **Many a demon will…have vied for your attention. Is there someone you have intentions for young one?"**

**Shinokiri leaned back cautiously; her hair slipping out of her master's hair.**

**"** **No, my lord."**

**"** **Then I will make arrangements for you."**

**Shinokiri bowed in acceptance and quickly left the room, slipping out and leaving the shoji ajar. She rushed out, forgetting her prior reason for being there entirely. Her heart raced and she became awash with vertigo. In Inu no Taisho's path of conquest, what position would she as a pawn play now?**

"Shinokiri, what will you do with yourself now?"

"At current I am aimless, my lady."

Her mother-in-law gave an amused scoff.

"What an unfamiliar position for you to be in…all you've ever really been is a tool for the powers of this land"

"Exactly," Shinokiri took that moment to exit.

**This was a truly surreal moment for Shinokiri. At present, she found herself facing the collective of her former clan. The ones that had abandoned her so effortlessly. It looked odd, even, for her to be sitting with the composed silver-haired inus adversarially facing the scruffier grey-haired ones.**

**She kept her sights on her father: Gekidou, the leader of this clan. His followers, as well as himself, were shabby looking in comparison to their hosts. Obviously, there was a disparity. He was visibly disgruntled. The civility of the atmosphere, a banquet, was an obvious façade. It thinly veiled a consuming tension about the room.**

**"** **Inu no Taisho, do you think that showing me your finery will beguile me into handing over my lands."**

**"** **Gekidou-sama, it is impossible for you to resist my will. If you accept my leadership then your lands and pack will be under my and will receive all of the advantages of such an enviable position.**

**Gekidou made up his face in disgust. "Do you mean to insinuate that I cannot provide for my clan? That I am impotent as a ruler?"**

**"** **I mean to say that your subordination to me will be of great benefit to you."**

**The two lords were locked in a match of death glares. It was clear Gekidou would not back down, to the obvious destruction of those under his rule. Pride would be his downfall.**

**"** **May we at least celebrate the union of our children?"**

**Inu no Taisho tried to offer up a less heated subject as he looked towards Shinokiri and Sesshomaru kneeling next to one another at his side.**

**Gekidou shot up in anger. "You mean to mock me, Inu no Taisho! You threaten my lands and make my seed into your son's whore!"**

**He moved to release the power of his blade but was quickly run through by the extension of his daughter's claws. She dared not use her naginata, most likely left in her hair by her mother. It would be sacrilege, especially in so already perverse a moment.**

**Inu no Taisho's other disciples made short work of the rest of her clan. In some way she was pleased, her loyalty could in no way be called into question now. Still, she was overcome with such a feeling of numbness as to upset her spirit.**

**She withdrew her claws from her father's middle. As his body became lifeless he gurgled and spit up excesses of brightly colored blood onto the tatami. She had hit his lungs.**

**Shinokiri turned to see Inu no Taisho and his mate giving her a bow of gratitude. Her own mate, Sesshomaru, looked on silently before disappearing in all of the excitement.**

**Later, freshly washed of her own father's blood, Shinokiri entered the moon soaked gardens of the palace. She had neglected to put on tabi or geta, preferring to feel the coolness of the vegetation beneath her feet. She wore only yukata, and the coolness of the air caressed every pore of her skin, exposed or unexposed. Her hair was loose and still damp.**

**She looked out at the water from a small bridge, searching her feelings…searching for any feelings. It was strange to her, this overpowering numbness radiating from within.**

**"** **How desperate are you for my father's approval to have exterminated your own blood?"**

**Sesshomaru ambled toward her position on the bridge.**

**"** **It was your father who raised me, not them."**

**"** **Ah yes, they abandoned you…was this revenge?"**

**He had come up behind her, sweeping her hair to one side as to expose neck on the other. Invitingly, she tilted her head as to give ease of access.**

**"** **No."**

**The answer was smooth and genuine. She continued, "I made a choice between a lord who deserved my loyalty and one who didn't."**

**To her, it was simple, but still a sort of conflict lay within her. It was all for the quickness of a moment. She could not comprehend it. There before her was a father she had barely known and he met his demise by her hand in an instant. It was preoccupying, and left Sesshomaru's actions of sucking and kissing at her neck and behind her ear with no fanfare or even notice.**

**She snapped out of her fog when Sesshomaru's hand crept into the front of her yukata, cupping one of her breasts. She went to turn around to face him, but he used the weight of his body to block her.**

**"** **Sesshomaru-sama, I am too tired for all of that."**

**Still, he persisted. He loosened her obi and slid her yukata off, brushing it aside on the ground with his foot. He traced her shoulders and back with his lips. He moved downward to the small of her back. One hand squeezed her thigh while the other under hooked her leg upward and anchored into her waist. Sesshomaru pressed his face to her from behind to pleasure her.**

**Shinokiri could not ignore this and grasped the railing of the bridge for purchase. He had never done this before. Moaning, she gave way to ecstasy.**

Sesshomaru blinked away his memories from his head. He stood before Rin in a meadow not long from Kaede's hut. Beside her were Jaken and A-Un who leapt to attention at the sight of their master. Rin's attention and gaze stayed downward to the koto she was plucking away at.

"Lord Sesshomaru! I am glad you have returned!"

The sycophantic Jaken beamed at his master waving the staff of two heads about in excitement. Sesshomaru made no effort to acknowledge him. He only waited for Rin to look up at him. Her face was contorted in concentration, and her tongue poked out of her tightly woven mouth, dissatisfied with her progress.

"I am glad she's not back yet. I want to get better so that she'll be surprised."

"I hope that dreadful female never comes back. Imagine! Putting Lord Sesshomaru through all of her tribulations! Ungrateful!"

Sesshomaru stomped on the imp, eliciting a strangled apology. Rin stopped her practice and looked up at Sesshomaru with innocence and hope.

"She's coming back, right Lord Sesshomaru. She's your wife, she wouldn't just leave…"

"Here."

Sesshomaru dropped a slender ornate wooden box in front of Rin. The little girl fumbled at the lid with glee revealing a jadeite stone set in a golden hair ornament.

"Oooohh, it's even prettier than Shinokiri's."

Sesshomaru snorted at the comparison, thinking to the battered wooden piece of scrap.

"If I put my hair in a ponytail, do you think I can look like her?"

The taiyoukai made no notice of her question. Instead, he looked to the horizon, speculating where his mate could be wandering off to. Though he had let her go; he was still angry. She had made a complete mockery of not just his authority but of him as a whole. He did not know what he might be compelled to do when next he saw her, but now felt limited by how quickly his ward had become attached to her.


	13. Proving Ground

Chapter 13

Proving Ground

_Kagura…Sara…_

These two females were inextricably linked to one another in their devotion to the demon lord Sesshomaru. They viewed him as perfection and so devoted themselves to this that his presence at their deaths had allowed them to find peace after such tumultuous lives.

To both of these women, he was the ultimate of his kind. No one more powerful. No one more beautiful. As such, it seemed fit to rest all of their dreams in him.

Sesshomaru pitied them. He pitied them to the point of allowing his pity to be known. To want to possess something which refused to be possessed was something he could relate to.

When he looked into Shinokiri's eyes he saw himself reflected back as only a byproduct of his father.

**"** **Sesshomaru, you persist in defying me."**

**Inu no Taisho glowered down at his son who's eyes met his; not backing down.**

**"** **There are things I must accomplish before I will have heirs."**

**"** **You make waste of Shinokiri. I was too kind, I should have kept her for myself."**

**Inu no Taisho was calculated in this, and to the desired effect his son fell. Possessed by ire, Sesshomaru stampeded down the hallways—his eyes bloodied and wild. In his wake he left everything in his path disturbed, making a great performance out of his banging about the halls.**

**Shinokiri was at her writing desk. She lazily rested against the wall surrounded by correspondences littering her desk and the floor around her. Her yukata was light and airy and reflected her own sedate state, only to be ruined by a sudden surge of tension.**

**Sesshomaru near ripped the shoji to Shinokiri's chambers down. Pushing his way through, he caught her unawares; gripping the back of her head and pressing her face to the tatami. In a flurry of silk and paper, Sesshomaru struggled to push everything aside to expose Shinokiri's lower half.**

**She did not struggle. She only fixed her gaze into a distance nothingness.**

**"** **My lord, is there any particular reason for this barbarism?"**

**She winced as he entered her. Satisfied in his position within her he brought her head up by her throat to be closer to his own.**

**"** **I want him to hear."**

**Shinokiri let out a throaty sound of amusement. Half laugh; half moan.**

**"** **Whatever it is, your father has won already, Sesshoamru-sama"**

**This sped and deepened his thrusting. He growled through gritted teeth and stretched himself unnaturally to bite down on his mate's shoulder. The sinking of his fangs into her flesh forced her to let loose a tortured cry.**

Sesshomaru tilted his head. _Kagura…Sara…_

The way the two had looked at him in their final moments. It formed a dull unquenchable ache within him. Their only failing was not being in the possession of the eyes he so desperately wanted to look at him so tenderly.

Sesshomaru felt his body slump against the base of the tree under which he rested. Upon a hill, thick with foliage, he found enough cover and vantage to look down at the goings-on of the village below. He felt sluggish, using the bulk of his yoki to mask his scent.

_She won't be able to resist. It won't be long._

Rin narrowed her eyes at the large bundle in orange silk occupying the corner of the room. She had learned to tell, it was drenched in yoki, its aura invaded everything within the space and it scared her. Her gift scared her.

She'd be forever grateful to Shinokiri for providing it for her. So many people had come into the effort of protecting her, but she had nothing to offer them in return. However, the demoness had wrongly assessed her precautions in using it to its full potential as stoic reserve. In truth, Rin was petrified of the thing—of the power.

She made a note to get over this. She had to be brave. She had to prove herself as worthy.

**"** **When you have proven to me that you fully comprehend what it is to own such power, then I shall give you access to all that it has to offer."**

**As Shinokiri explained this to Rin, the child could not help but be confused. The inu continued in understanding.**

**"** **As it is now, it is an unbroken horse. It does not recognize you as its owner. Its lack of limits makes it limited, in this sense."**

**Still not fully sure of what the older female was saying, Rin decided to nod anyway. She was sure that she'd get it in time.**

As it was, the Oto no Joka Kabe let out it's yoki in bursts of energy without aim. It was like a wildfire. It held no understanding of focused attacks, instead, it simply destroyed anything in its path.

Rin aimed to work hard to tame it. She wrestled her eyes from the corner of the room to her normal unenchanted koto. It seemed small and unimportant, even with its fine lacquering. The tips of her fingers now bulged with calluses. She liked to practice both with and without picks to ensure the necessary dexterity and versatility of her fingers.

She paused. There was a great shift. A rumbling of movement moved passed Kaede's hut and in the corner of her eye she saw Kaede follow. Rin rushed outside as well only to be gently stopped by Kaede.

"Kaede-baba, is there anything I can do to help?"

The Inugumi could be seen rushing to action, weapons drawn, moving outside of the village.

"Go back inside Rin."

"Bu—"

"Don't be stupid, you're just a kid. Listen to Kaede."

Inuyasha's harsh tone was met with a menacing look from Kagome, but there was a consensus. Rin felt it. She slinked pack inside feeling useless as her friends poured out of the village to battle some unknown demon threat.

Her eyes returned to the bundle in the corner of the room. She had to be brave. The sooner she got accustomed to it, the sooner she could be of use. The sooner she wasn't just dead weight. A defenseless child hanging on to the mercy of those around her. Lucky and alive by virtue of powerful allies and not her own merit.

In a huff of energy, Rin grabbed the orange bag and strapped it to her back. It looked even more massive juxtaposed to her slight build, but she managed it well, running in the opposite direction of the action. She headed to the forest, to the meadow in the clearing where she and Shinokiri would go. She would make an attempt to master this thing unsupervised, without fear.

Picking an arbitrary spot on the ground she excitedly sat down and unwrapped the koto. She ran her hands on the carving of flowers covering the instrument, admiring it in suitable awe. She carefully laid it down and flexed her fingers over it, trying to steady herself.

Rin picked a simple and sweet melody which she knew well. She was playing it, and nothing bad was happening. Rin beamed as she continued to practice, but was stopped by a band and a whimper. Looking over, she saw a twitching and pained rabbit dying in the grass not far away.

The little girl jumped back away from the koto. That was what she had feared. Sure, she could play it, but what would stop it from hurting her friends over her foes. Slowly, she shuffled her body towards the dying animal. Laying her hands on the small trembling ball of fur, she began to cry. Feelings of failure and helplessness washed over her as the life slipped from the rabbit's body.

"Child, why do you cry?"

Rin's head perked up in recognition. "Shinokiri-hime!"

She sniffled and wiped away at her face as the demoness approached her.

"Is it your wish to tame this instrument now? Do you respect its power?"

Shinokiri stroked the nodding head of Rin and bent over, taking the child's hand into her own. The demoness gently squeezed the little hand and leaned her forehead into Rin's hair.

"Do you fear pain, Rin?"

Rin turned to face her, putting on a brave face as she shook her head no. She gasped as she felt Shinokiri's claws dig into her fragile little hand. The demoness then placed the hand over the instrument, letting the blood drip onto it. The koto began to shake and glow and from it a multitude of voices erupted.

"Is this the offering from my master? Who is it that I serve?"

Rin shakily spoke up. "Me. I own you."

She looked back at her mentor for reassurance. Shinokiri gave her a steady nod to settle her nerves.

"Then your soul is bound to mine…your will is mine."

Rin felt a pull towards it and lay her hands on the glowing koto and at once it settled and relinquished its animation.

"What does this mean Shinokiri-hime?"

"It will do as you desire it to now"

Rin looked down, befuddled.

"Why did you wait till now?"

Shinokiri closed her eyes and reached for the limp body of the dead rabbit nearby.

"I had to be sure of your character Rin. I had to be sure of your commitment. I can see into your heart, it is pure and gentle. You will not misuse power."

The demoness began to field dress the rabbit with her claws.

"The old priestess will be glad of your contribution to dinner."

The girl was too distracted in her thoughts to react. "So what now, Lady Shinokiri?"

"Play."

Rin made a motion to being to get up, as to distance herself with her instrument, but Shinokiri stopped her.

"No, just play."

Hesitantly, Rin took her nail and plucked a string.

 _Nothing happened._ Rin's eyes widened and sought Shinokiri's.

"Does it no longer work?"

"It does what you want it to, Rin."

Rin giggled and clapped in excitement. She had control now. All of her fears wiped away so quickly. Shinokiri, to her, seemed to be the most magical creature she'd ever encountered. A colossal task—considering.

"Rin, return to the village."

Shinokiri and Rin both turned towards the woods startled. Out from the shadows stepped the demon lord of the west.

"Rin." He repeated her name sternly. The child clumsily packed everything up, not forgetting the cleaned carcass as she ran back towards her home.

"I'm impressed by how well you managed to hide your presence, my lord."

Shinokiri got up to leave but was pounced upon. Pinned down, with her hands above her in his grip, she had to once again make the unfortunate admission to herself that her mate possessed a far greater physical strength to her own.

Sesshomaru put all of his weight down upon her.

"How long will you continue this ludicrous farce?"

Shinokiri's eyes dug holes into his own, narrowing up at him. She did not struggle but was defiant in her gaze.

"I already explained this to you, Sesshomaru-sama."

"Now that you have fulfilled your obligations to my dead father you feel that you can shirk your responsibilities towards me. You have never once acted as my mate…only as an extension of him."

"All to your benefit."

"Peripherally."

Shinokiri bit down on her lower lip in frustration. This exchange was pointless.

"I have deserved, in all of my service, the opportunity to experience freedom."

"And do you no longer wish to serve as mother to my heirs?"

"Not if it means my dreams will be shackles. You are disingenuous"

Sesshomaru shoved his free arm between them and with much shuffling of fabric, he boroughed his fingers inside of Shinokiri most intimately. Her breathing quickened, this was not out of affection—it was a threat.

"Would you destroy something you've enjoyed so much?"

Her humor only thinly veiled her nervousness.

"If I can't use it, it has no value to me."

Shinokiri gritted her teeth but kept her eyes fixed on his.

"Fine."

His eyes glowed red. She had called his bluff. He shifted, keeping her pinned while exiting her. Repositioning the both of them he straddled her, keeping her arms to her sides with his knees. His claws threatened to dig into the back of her head as he took hold of her face with the soft end of his palms.

"You never were this obstinate with my father. Why?"

"When I see you as a deserving leader then you will have my obedience…Prove yourself to me."

Sesshomaru furrowed his brows in offense. "You forget your place."

Shinokiri relaxed into her pace of power, despite still being beneath him. Sesshomaru broke their staring contest to look towards the sky in disbelief as he continued to speak.

"I don't know you to be this mercurial…this inconstant. Before I had left you in the village—"

"Despite what you believe…your silly boyish competition with your dead father…my actions held you at the center, and in your insecurity and childishness, you have failed to keep me in mind. I am tired, Sesshomaru."

Shinokiri closed her eyes and sighed, carrying on, "There are many years behind us. We are bound by this. I know you feel the same…those women, the princess and the wind sorceress, I felt jealousy when I heard of your compassion towards them, but I know. I know. You are mine as I am yours."

"So what then?"


	14. Soft as Chalk

Chapter 14

Soft as Chalk

**Since their initial meeting, Shinokiri and Sesshomaru had been joined only by glances in passing until their betrothal. The female seemed a curiosity to the male. She was ethereal. He would see her slipping passed him and it irked him that it caught his attention at all.**

**To him, her voice seemed to stay in the creases of the floor, and ring out at him as he stepped through space. Now that they were mated, there was an uneasy happiness to it all. He would watch her as she barely seemed to notice him. Going about her day, focused on individual tasks. He found pleasure in this.**

**She had always managed to be busy from afar but under closer inspection never seemed flustered. She bounced from one task to the other, making no show of it, simply doing. With such ease, it then seemed necessary to always give her more to do.**

**Something about it was inappropriate. His mate, filled with the vestiges of his scent from the night before, still fluttering around like his father's vassal. She was his father's vassal. Yet, that all should have ended once their union was consummated. The whole thing was an insult.**

**He had managed to track her in a rare stationary moment and sat in observation. Grey hair fell around her face, framing its serenity. She was most beautiful in these moments of supreme focus. She cleaned the staff of her naginata with a hum of satisfaction. Such an oddity in a demoness. Looking up at him, her eyes smiled.**

**"** **I'm not sure if you're aware my lord, but it's hard to concentrate when you stare at me."**

**"** **You'll get better with practice."**

**Her shoulders shook in amused delight. He continued.**

**"** **Why do you persist in running around upon my father's whim…considering your new status?"**

**"** **It was this running around that gave me my status…such a beautiful prize"**

**Her eyes shone mischievously at him as she added, "Work rewarded with beauty begets more work."**

**Sesshomaru sniffed in annoyance. She had a tendency to treat him like a princess in a castle.**

**"** **You were the one who was given to me, Shinokiri."**

**She scoffed at this. "You did nothing to deserve me…you were just born. All that you have; everything is by virtue of simply being alive. Even now, the work that I do for you father ensures that your inheritance is a grand one."**

**With that, she lifted the naginata, shrinking, back into her hair. "I have made an investment in you, and being joined with you is the return."**

**"** **Is that all it is then?"**

**Sesshomaru rested his eyes to the scene on a painted screen, imagining himself within it, removing himself from the conversation to some extent. His question betrayed him.**

**"** **I believe you'll be a great leader. You're less impulsive than your father…except that you are quicker to anger…colder. He is right, you need compassion. Though, I find your company enjoyable regardless."**

**Shinokiri got up; it was on to the next task. She paused before passing him, resting a clawed hand in his silver tresses and letting them fall from finger to finger in her grasp. They locked eyes and she gave him a small smile.**

**"** **Your dryness is very endearing," she stated before leaving him to himself.**

Centuries of comfortable silences and slow glances had somehow dissolved into the bitter tension of this ordeal. No matter what glimpses of turmoil had appeared between them in the past, those moments culminating into this current mess was not a foreseeable occurrence.

"So what then?"

Shinokiri, now relaxed, looked up at him with some tenderness.

"My lord, I have accepted your ward, and given her a means of protecting herself in lieu of your presence. I have eased your greatest burden. Allow me some time without a master. After being imprisoned for so long, give me this freedom and I will consider it compassion."

"And will you one day return?"

"I hope so."

Sesshomaru eased himself off of her and lay next to her in the grass. It was cool and soft and the breeze tingled at their flesh. Neither looked over at the other.

"What brought this on?"

"Those two women…you helped free them, you gave them peace. I want the same."

"Their peace would've lied in being what you already are."

Shinokiri smiled to herself, "What I am? I'm rarely ever that."

"I offered you your offspring."

"It's a great offer, will you keep it on the table while I decide?"

Sesshomaru never answered, he simply evaporated. In moments like this, it was more expected for the demoness to leave without issue. It was usually her that was detached.

His voice still rumbled within her. Shinokiri thought on the conversation. What really was the point of all of this? Was she being dramatic? In the lengths of their estrangement which had begun some two centuries ago, there had been a drastic change in her mate. It was all the more shocking to her as she had not witnessed it taking place in the slightest. She simply dropped into this new world with a new Sesshomaru.

She had to admit. His patience with her was more than she could've ever asked of him before. However, was she making that all up? The part about him being at the center of her actions? Or was it really only his father that bound them together?

**It was not an alien thing for the young Shinokiri to fantasize about Sesshomaru. She had been raised on the idea of his eventual rule. How he would receive the splendor of the territory Inu no Taisho created. The dog prince would shine on the horizon of the bright future his father had laid the foundations for, and Shinokiri desperately wished to be a part of it. She was sold on the dream Inu no Taisho peddled.**

**Sesshomaru was beautiful and powerful and distant. Ever distant. He floated in and out of her sights, never speaking to her. In her toils, she had hoped to be so present as to be noticed, but it never happened. In a strange way, it seemed right to her, to obsess over the fawn of her idol. She too wanted to be in Inu no Taisho's vision of the future, side by side with Sesshomaru. She wanted to help the son fulfill the dreams of the father.**

**Now that she was grown and Inu no Taisho's soft looks became tainted to her as they had become toward Izayoi, she wondered—what were his intentions? Was her loyalty to be rewarded with status as an heir or to be sullied with the hollow honor of his bed? It seemed a strange thought.**

**He had mentioned that a match was to be made. Did she dare to think it would be Sesshomaru? Still, it was a fanciful folly of a hope. She didn't know him beyond the gloating of his father. Even if she was given the opportunity to lay claim over him. What did she really know of his actual competency beyond his promise? Could she stomach to be around him, or would she have to use his beauty as a veneer for everything else?**

**The adolescent peaked out to the garden, watching the young prince. Silver and achingly gorgeous. He was other-worldly.** **_I will have him…_ **

**The demoness hoped to think it into being. Would it not be magnificent to be so ingrained in Inu no Taisho's great legacy? She would have little models of Sesshomaru running around, mighty and alluring, to make her proud.**

Rin breathlessly returned to Kaede's hut and clumsily wrapped her lacerated hand. She paid no real attention to it as the adrenaline pumping in her veins was shielding her from any sensation of pain. She bubbled at the koto in her hands. She lumbered the great instrument down in the emptiness of the room and began to strum it with abandon. She had agency now, she could choose when to unleash the instrument's destructive powers.

The sound which came from its strings was so sweet. Sweeter than someone of her proficiency should have been able to create. Rin felt like a colossus. An artist. An assassin. It was so adorably misguided.

"Rin! Ri—"

The sudden burst of Jaken into the hut had shook Rin out of her daze, terrifying her to mal-effect. The sudden fear that traveled through her sent a wave of energy knocking the wind out of Jaken.

"Master Jaken!"

She rushed over; trying to shake him into a revival. To her relief he stirred.

"Master Jaken, you're alive!"

It seemed the koto had altered its attack to take into account the unknown. Rin became effervescent. The entire thing was fascinating.

"Girl! What on ear—"

"I'll see you later Master Jaken! Don't move till I return!"

With that order, she grabbed her red lacquer practicing koto and flew out the door toward the interior of the village. Rushing passed everything she parted startled passersby's, making them stumble in her wake.

Rin looked like colored paper lost to the wind as she tumbled through the village searching for her destination. Nothing in this moment could break her focus, so much so that she almost missed her stop. Halting on her heels she fell backward in front of the house of her koto-master.

Brushing herself off she cried out, "Aiko-sensei! Aiko-sesnsei!"

Confused, the young woman stepped out to see a beaming Rin jumping up at her.

"Rin-chan?"

"Aiko-sensei, I don't need this anymore. Thank you so much, but you can have it back!"

Terrified the musician took the instrument in her hand as her eyes bulged out at the child.

"You're quitting? B-b-but you can't? I was supposed to teach you to master this…will this not anger your guardians? What will happen to me, thoughtless child?"

Aiko looked around in panic. Rin only giggled in reply.

"What? No! I just mean I don't need to use that one anymore! See you next lesson!"

Rin jolted off, leaving the baffled woman to her own devices as she skipped off. The child had never held this much control over her own life and her prospects were now thrilling to her. She was determined to become a being of legend like so many of her loved ones, old and new. She was no longer, just Rin, a helpless child in need of protection.

Despite being on a cloud, just like that, Rin was literally snatched from her dreaming. Coming to, she found herself a relative distance from the ground looking at clawed feet and red hakama.

"Kid, what are you doing here by yourself?"

"Master Inuyasha! You're back already?! Did you slay the oni? Was it big and scary like this?"

She smooshed and jumbled her words into an excited mumble as she curved her hands into a claw and made her best menacing face; ending with a weak growl as the fabric of her kimono loosely spun so that her face met the hanyou's.

"Answer the question."

"I was just visiting Aiko-sensei. I wanted her to see how good I had gotten."

"You see her all the time whelp. What's so special this time?"

Rin shrugged. Inuyasha was suspicious.

"Fine, don't tell me."

He lowered her to the ground and sniffed, focusing in on her blood spotted bandaged hand.

"Lying is a nasty quality to have…"

Rin looked up at him blinking. Her feet shuffling and digging into the dirt, trying to hide her need for momentum.

"Whatever. Get your butt back home."

"Bye, Master Inuyasha!"

Rin gleefully ran off, making no stops, back home to her precious koto. Inuyasha kept his eyes on her, scrunching his face in discontent. _What the hell is going on with her…?_

Shinokiri was in the air. The half-breed was not surprised. She was always getting involved in things that had nothing to do with her, even if it was in spite of herself. Her innate helpfulness was her greatest failing. She had definitely been here, checking up on Rin's progress, most likely. _Hmhp!_ Inuyasha doubted she'd ever change.


	15. Assistance

Chapter 15

Assistance

**Inuyasha whimpered into the dark navy of Shinokiri's hakama; sniffling into the saturated red and green of her obi. She did not immediately bend to comfort the young one. Instead, she saw it fit to question him.**

**"** **Why is it that you were attacked Inuyasha?"**

**The tiny hanyou blubbered up at her. "Kiri-chan…I caught a deer and…and they stole it….they beat me up and stole it."**

**"** **Did you fight back?"**

**"** **I…"**

**"** **Inuyasha. Did you fight back?"**

**"** **No. I ran away."**

**He buried his face deep into her leg with shame. It was at this point the demoness bent down, taking a knee to be closer to his level. She pulled him from her side and wretched his body to face hers. Pinching his cut and bruised face; she made the pup face her. As soon as his eyes lifted to meet hers, she gave him a swift knock to the head.**

**"** **You dishonor your father's memory."**

**"** **I'm sor—"**

**"** **Don't apologize: do better."**

**At that she welcomed him into her arms and nuzzled behind his ears. "I understand your instinct for self-preservation. I must admit, it is a relief to find you alive each time I seek you out…but you carry your father's legacy. You must be made of tougher stuff than that. You do not come from the stock of a coward."**

**His fingers clutched tightly to the fur at her shoulders and nodded weakly. "Ok."**

**Shinokiri took his face into her hands once more, looking at all of the scratched on his face, she began to lick them with vigor.**

**"** **Ew, Kiri-chan! Stop licking me."**

**"** **Silly child. It will heal your wounds."**

**Inuyasha wriggled in discomfort, "Stop, it's gross…your tongue."**

**"** **My tongue?"**

**Shinokiri pondered this. It must be untoward in human custom. She nodded to herself.**

**"** **Fine," Shinokiri ceased her licking and began to spit directly onto his face, fervently rubbing it into his skin. Inuyasha looked up at her horrified, flailing about, but powerless to do anything.**

"Inuyasha?"

Kagome looked up at him. He almost lost his train of thought, reveling in how beautifully she wore the sunset. "Was that Rin?"

"Yeah, I think we should stop by Kaede's before we head home."

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't think so…no wrong…but definitely off."

Kagome gave a sharp nod. She trusted Inuyasha's instincts implicitly.

Rin happily twirled into the hut, looking around.

"Jaken?"

Nothing. He must have left despite her request. Humming, she returned to her koto…her weapon. Never had she felt so in command.

"Rin?"

"Kaede-baba."

"Where were you?"

Barely acknowledging her, Rin answered, "Aiko-sensei's."

Kaede's eyepatch shifted in questioning. "Where did this rabbit come from?"

Almost accusatorially, the old priestess held up the cleaned carcass.

"Ah-Un."

"Shinokiri you liar. What's wrong with you?"

Inuyasha's voice rang out as he entered the room. "That's the dumbest thing to lie about ever."

Rin's face sucked itself into a pout. "I don't know."

Kagome went next to the child and put her hands on her shoulders, "What's this all about Rin? Is something the matter?"

Rin still felt somewhat raw about her lack of inclusion in protecting the village. "Nothing. I just saw her for a bit. Nothing happened."

"Then why would you lie about it."

The young priestess was quickly shrugged off in response to her question. Rin shuffled over to her koto and began to drown everyone out.

"Hey! Kid! How are you playing that one?"

Rin didn't answer the half-breed, but furiously played. Inuyasha huffed in frustration.

"Shinokiri must have tweaked the instrument," Kaede offered. The young couple nodded in agreement.

"Do ya have to be rude about it kid?"

Inuyasha wondered at the girl. It was getting to that point where nothing she did made any sense. It was happening. There was a steely determination in the little girl's face. He hated dealing with women. The hanyou made a mental note that a headache would be approaching in the near future.

As, he and Kagome walked to their hut, Inuyasha abruptly stopped in the road, ruffled by his thoughts.

"Inuyasha?"

"What is it with you people?"

Kagome looked at him quite lost.

"Women. What is it with you guys and your moods? Look at Rin. Out of nowhere."

Kagome steamed. "Osuwari! Osuwari! OSUWARI!"

The young priestess hopped passed the crater she had just created, leaving her husband twitching at its core.

Sesshomaru had returned to his post on the hill, near the village. He had been ignoring his own lands. A horde of boar demons had been encroaching on his lands, in and out, pillaging food stocks in human villages. It was a small threat, but the damages were accumulating and his authority was being tested. They would surge in and rush back to their lands like cowards. He would have to exterminate them.

He wondered if Shinokiri was aware of it. Aware of how her presence scrambled his attentions. She always managed to capture the entirety of his focus, just in being.

**Sesshomaru, pubescent and miffed, sat slumped above a battlefield observing a cacophony of gore. A single heir cannot be risked in battle. Yet, he was ready. He knew he could be of great use by his father's side. No amount of argument could move his father to allow him to fight in this Great War.**

**Instead, he watched the urchin, Shinokiri, fighting in his stead. It was infuriating. Inu no Taisho might have gone in alone and it would be less upsetting. It was such a monumental battle. Inu no Taisho and this upstart clan of felines. It was sacrosanct that he should be involved, as his introduction to his future role as protector of these lands. No matter, he was shoved to the sidelines.**

**She moved well. He was better, but she moved well. Naginata was not about brute strengths but fluidity of movement. It required a certain grace. Shinokiri handled it well. He was confused by her actions. She did not follow the great lord; charging into battle. She faced the opposite direction, picking off the cats that got passed the tremendous dog. She slashed at them before they could dent the troops for which Inu no Taisho had pledged to champion. Where was the glory in that?**

**It fascinated him. The way she seemed to dance on the blood saturated earth, unfettered by carrion. She sliced through meat with ease, flicking blood off of her blade. Even this action seemed efficient, the blood blinding approaching combatants. His eyes were stuck on the flush of her skin, the angle of her long neck. She was mesmerizing.**

**After the battle was done and won, he rushed to catch the orphan.**

**"** **Sesshomaru-sama."**

**Exhausted she leaned on her weapon to be able to bow.**

**"** **Why did you not rush forward?"**

**"** **Your father needed me to flank him."**

**"** **No one will remember your name."**

**Shinokiri only scoffed at this. She scoffed at him. "Child." Sesshomaru was fit to be tied. How dare she…she who was younger than he. She a pathetic disciple of his father. No one so thoroughly beneath him had ever dismissed him thus.**

In the two subsequent battles he would fight with the same clan of panther demons, it would be her unselfish approach to battle that would prove the most effective for him. It would be the thing that finally resolved the matter. Thinking about it made him grind his teeth.

"Lord Sesshomaru! I have found you!"

"Jaken, why was Rin able to leave the village without your accompaniment?"

"Huh? That girl! She attacked me from out of nowhere!"

"Jaken, fail to carry out my orders again, and I will kill you."

Sesshomaru stepped off of the imp's body, leaving him groaning in the dirt. Jaken scrambled to recover and catch up to his master. The lord would try to pull himself back to his duties in spite of it all. As much as it irked him, she was not under his control and the more he would try to enforce control the more she would resist. The filth that was undermining his autonomy—that was something he could control. He would cut them down one by one. Their bodies would litter his lands as deterrents to their comrades. The outlet was a welcome one.

**"** **Sesshomaru-sama, you are strong, but foolish. If we lost you, where then would be we be?"**

**Shinokiri's concern poured out of her as she worked to remove his armor. It was broken in several places, and she could not tell where the bleeding was coming from.**

**Sesshomaru weakly tried to brush her off. He felt no pain, only the rush of conquest. In one fell swoop he had added a sizable chunk onto the legacy of his bloodline. Vim, vigor, and vitality. The rashness of his youth had lent him the gall to attack a neighboring territory and swallow it whole.**

**Inu no Taisho looked over the waste. There was nothing left. Both demon and human had been eliminated by the hundreds, single-handedly. "This is not what I wanted. Never this."**

**Sesshomaru disdainfully spat blood from his mouth. "No, Father. It is what I wanted."**

**Shinokiri anxiously tried to ignore the stiffness of the air around the two males. She inspected the spewing wound in his side blindly with her finger. Sesshomaru neither moaned nor winced, stoic as ever he looked down at her lazily, still propped up against a boulder.**

**"** **Nothing was hit." She made fast to bind it. He had taken on a multitude of formidable youkai and evaded serious damage. She felt her breath caught in admiration.**

**"** **You disappoint me son. This is not the behavior of worthy ruler."**

**Inu no Taisho left them there, not looking back. Sesshomaru could feel his father's disgust and filled something within him. He could not contain his satisfaction, sparking much confusion in his mate.**

**"** **I do not like the discord you weave, my lord."**

**"** **But you did enjoy this. I can smell it." He roguishly grinned at her. A rarity. Shinokiri caressed his cheek, wiping the small trickle of blood from his mouth. She smiled at him.**

**"** **I cannot deny, you are a mighty force to behold Sesshomaru-sama."**

**Sesshomaru snaked his arms around her waist and brought her closer to him. She complied with a sly grin on her face, falling into his lap. Taking in each other's scent, luxuriated in the feel of their foreheads touching, her body carefully straddling his, her hands resting on his chest. Her hand loosely tugged at the yellow of his obi.**

Kagome swallowed as the trembling subsided in her husband's legs. He lovingly stroked her hair as she slinked upward to fall next to him at the head of the mattress. Glistening and tired they held each other.

"I know you'd prefer not to finish this way Inuyasha…but Miroku….Sango…..I can't. Not yet. I want to be young a bit longer before I'm dripping with children."

Kagome shifted her body with a small laugh.

"Feh. You're not gonna get any objections from me."

They both stared through the ceiling.

"This would be so much simpler in my time."

"Huh?"

"They have stuff…to…you know…prevent pregnancy."

"Ohhh."

Inuyasha twisted his face and furrowed his brows.

"Or if we were both demons. It wouldn't even be an issue."

Kagome propped up at this. "What?"

"Yeah. Two full demons. I don't know. No one ever really explained it to me, but I know they have to do it in a special way to get pregnant."

Kagome tilted her head and creased her lips. "Wow. That's so weird."

"I guess."

They both fell into a ponderous silence.

"So, that's why your brother and Kiri-chan…they don't—"

"I don't want to think about that Kagome."

"No, but really, I was wondering." She paused to giggle. "I was starting to think Sesshomaru might be impotent."

They both shook with laughter. As much as he hated to acknowledge it, the thought of his older brother being deficient in that area was hilarious to him.

"Wouldn't it be weird, if they just…you know…never did it."

"Ok, Kagome, stop."

He rubbed at his temple a bit. "For good enough reason, I avoided thinking about it…but I guess they just didn't have kids on purpose."

"Both of them, though?"

This took Inuyasha aback. _Oh. That asshole._ It made sense. Sesshomaru, being Sesshomaru, would no doubt have dampened any hopes of offspring. It would explain how sensitive Shinokiri was on the subject. It was very likely that that was the case.

Inuyasha drew Kagome into his embrace as they both drifted off to sleep, having dropped the conversation in favor of individual contemplation. Inuyasha let the sleep wash over him…those two…Sesshomaru and Shinokiri...if Kagome was right, this would only be a drop in the bucket of the myriad of issues those two had.


	16. Innocence and a Smile

Chapter 16

Innocence and a Smile

Despite Rin's integration into Kaede's village, her suspicion of other humans had hardly eased. She had only learned to form bonds with a particular set of humans that she knew she could trust. Even the village, at-large, was filled with those she was wary of. She preferred to only interact with others is accompanied by a member of the inutachi. Naturally, her most common companion was Kaede.

Rin could often be seen trotting behind the old priestess, assisting her in whatever way possible. This day it would be a wedding, and in that sense, poor Rin's insecurities about her use would be agitated.

"Rin-chan, it is best that you busy yourself with something outside of the shrine today."

"There's nothing I can do Kaede-baba?"

The priestess shook her head no at the crumbling postured child. "Play with the other children while you wait."

Rin felt awash with unease as Kaede stepped away from her. There was, indeed, a pack of ungainly little monsters clamoring on top of each other in some sort of game. Boys. Cautiously, she approached.

"May I play too?"

The air stood up in Rin's chest, refusing to move. Calling attention to her own presence seemed to halt everything within frame. The boys opened their mouths dimly at her. A supposed leader stepped forth. He was bigger than the other boys—sweatier as well. He seemed to move forward on half of his body at a time.

"Are you stupid? Girls can't play with us."

Rin was very much happy to oblige him and turned her gaze to passersby as she fell with a thump to the ground. Her legs were akimbo and rested her weight on her hands behind her, leaning back and feeling the warmth of the sun on her face. The boys began to reassemble into whatever pile they were previously in, but not the leader. Rin's indifference seemed to eat at him and he trudged toward her and heatedly kicked her wrist from out beneath her.

Rin's vision went white and when she came to she looked at her wrist. It was the sight of it; dirty and covered in scratches. He bandage had all but come off and the cut on her palm reopened. A dull throbbing pulsed with her bleeding and the tears streamed down her face. She could hear all of the little ingrates laughing at her. Little by little their laughs muffled and a sharp ring entered her ears. Her face became hot and her belly tightened. The fire in her launched her back to her feet.

"You gonna run away little girl?"

The leader smugly crossed his arms over his chest before being covered by the shadow of a flying Rin. She ripped the gold and jadeite pin from her hair and embedded it in his arm, falling off of his much larger form. He wailed in horror at the ornament sticking out of him and shuffled back, succeeding in unwittingly aiding Rin in its return as she grabbed hold of the head of it.

Before Rin could come to understand what she had done, she was being manhandled by angry parents.

"How dare you?!" "That's what happens when children are raised by animals!" "She even acts like a demon!"

She shook herself free and ran as fast as she could before Kaede's attention could be drawn to what happened. She had to move fast before word got to any one of her guardians. She was filled with guilt, they would be shunned for bringing her into the village…surely. She was of no use to them, and only ever seemed to bring trouble. They'd be better off without her around.

Rin stabbed her hairpin back into her hair and ran back to Kaede's hut. It was only a matter of time till this happened. Villagers had a way of turning on her. Still, she was somewhat horrified at what she had done. She'd never been violent before.

Bursting into the empty hut, she filled a bag with as much food as she could after strapping her koto to her back. Rushing out, she called Ah-Un and strapped all of her effects to their saddle and hopped on, urging the two-headed dragon to fly as fast and as far as he could into the forest.

She was in a panic. Everyone would hate her even more now. There was no way she could stay. She had no talent for being around other people. She would miss them…the inugumi…but she knew she could return to her Lord Sesshomaru. That filled her with some relief.

Sesshomaru missed Rin's smile. His servant's negativity gnawed at his ears.

"M'lord! We'll never get through all of these boar demons! No matter how many you kill, they just keep coming!"

Jaken loved to point out the obvious. It was his only reprieve from being a sycophant. Sesshomaru must have killed dozens of them by now, but they seemed not to heed the warning of the bodies of their fallen brethren. His lands stunk of dead pig, and yet live ones continued to barrel in, wreaking havoc. It seemed to him that he would have to kill each and every one of that tribe of mononoke.

Rin's smile. She seemed to be the only happy being in a sea of malady. Sesshomaru admonished himself internally. _You're being weak._

The first time she smiled at him was so curious that it buried within him. So much joy at nothing. So much joy at him. He had never brought happiness to someone before. The feeling was strange and addictive.

He remembered how Shinokiri looked at his father. Those same wide, glowing eyes. Scrappy and smiling at nonevents, just because the daiyoukai was in their view. Being admired in such an innocent way was pleasing to the ego…to say the least.

**Sesshomaru was an angry whelp. He was prone to temper tantrums. At first, it was manageable, but as of late he was a terror. His rage seemed to be brought on by his father being in residence. He would tear at shoji and torment servants just to get his father's attention.**

**The young heir threw rocks against the wall. He could see them. His father and the orphan. She seemed to be sounding out the words on a scroll. He watched her shyly look up at his father for approval and he urged her on. She was smiling so brightly. Both of their eyes shone at each other. His father looked proud.**

**Sesshomaru struggled to think of a time he had shared such a moment with his father. He kicked at the ground. The young demon struggled to grasp what he was experiencing, but he wanted to destroy things. He vowed never to talk to the orphan. She was his enemy now.**

Shinokiri had remained in his land. Her scent was very much there. He believed it to be a test, and so he kept his distance and allowed her free reign. As much of a nuisance as the hogs were, they were an excellent outlet for his frustrations.

In her true form, Shinokiri soared through the sky like an impending storm cloud. She couldn't leave the Western lands. Her gut kept her there. She was restless and idle, but she could see that something was happening and she was curious.

Her mate had been littering the countryside with hog demons and it certainly was catching her attention. I seemed that he meant to stop their infiltration of his territory in this way and she desperately wanted to intervene. Her lips suffered from the biting it took to restrain herself from getting involved. She would, at least, allow herself to witness the conclusion to all of this.

Suddenly her eyes shifted downward and she plummeted toward the earth, returning to her humanoid form. In the thick of the woods, she could smell Rin and Ah-Un. _How odd…_ As she got closer she began to hear singing.

"Nama no naka

Mori no naka

Kaze no naka

Yume no naka

Sesshoumaru-sama doko ni iru

Jakken-sama wo—Shinokiri-hime!"

Rin's song was stopped by a sharp yelp at the demoness which fell from the sky in front of her. The child jumped from the now stopped Ah-Un and ran to embrace Shinokiri's legs. Her smile shimmering.

"Girl, why are you so far from the village?"

"Lord Sesshomaru doesn't need to worry anymore, because of the Oto no Joka Kabe. I can be with him again."

"That wasn't why you were to stay in the village child."

Yanking the girl up by the fabric on her back she planted her back onto Ah-Un.

"I made a mistake. You overestimate yourself already. You are to stay with your kind until you are old enough to choose to roam with a demon."

Rin's heart dropped. "No! I don't want to go back. Humans are stupid and mean!"

Her face was red and her brows furrowed. Shinokiri sighed deeply.

"That is true of most creatures…but what if you decide one day that you want children and a house…your own life. You can't have that with Sesshomaru-sama."

Rin huffed indignantly. "Yes. I can."

Shinokiri tilted her head for an explanation, somewhat worried as to what it might be.

"I can bring kids with us."

"What about your husband?"

"He can come too."

"I don't think he'd be happy about that Rin."

"I would only marry someone who would be happy about it."

"Rin. Be serious."

"I am Shinokiri-hime! I promise! I'll be useful! I can look after your puppies!"

The demoness leaned on the two-headed dragon next to her for support. She suddenly felt very tired. Why was she humoring this conversation?

"Rin. We will get to all of that when you are a woman, but for now, you must go back."

"But I'm in trouble."

Rin's watery eyes bore into Shinokiri, trying to draw all of the demoness' sympathy out with her pouting. Shinokiri squinted at nothing in particular. A dull pain had developed in her head. No opponent was more fearsome than a child.

"I am sorry to see that you're a coward, child."

Rin drew a sharp intake of breath and puffed up her body. "I am not a coward."

"Then you will face the consequences of whatever foolishness you are running away from. You are too old to behave like this."

Rin scratched at the saddle with her nails and twisted her mouth. The struggle was visible on her face.

"Can I stay with you for a while before we go back?"

Shinokiri shut her eyes and let her eyebrows touch her forehead and she breathed in deeply.

"It is close to nightfall. You will sleep here and then we depart in the morning."

Rin nodded her head excitedly and sprung from the saddle right on to Shinokiri's neck and squeezed tightly.

"Thank you Shinokiri-hime! Will I get to see Lord Sesshomaru?"

The demoness pinched the bridge of her nose and lowered herself as to allow Rin to release her neck.

"Are you hungry Rin?"

"I brought food!"

"Make yourself a fire, child."

Rin hopped into action, collecting twigs and Ah-Un plopped himself down right where he stood. The little girl was pleasantly surprised at how lenient Shinokiri was with her. She reveled in the prospect of spending more time with this new presence in her life.

After some time, a fire was made, with Rin sandwiched between her youkai companions. It was quiet apart from the slightly wet sound of Rin nibbling on dumplings.

"What you did was selfish Rin."

"What?"

"Apart of what I need you to understand is that your actions affect others. How do you think Kaede feels right now? Inuyasha is probably searching for you…no none knows whether you are safe or not…"

Rin let this sink in. It was true. She felt shame wash flood through her. Her eyes began to sting and she began to hyperventilate with tears.

"Shinokiri-hime! I'm so sorry!"

She did not look at the child, pretending to be indifferent. "I'm not the one to whom you should be apologizing. Save your tears. They are pathetic."

Still, she allowed the little girl to bury her face into her lap and wipe away her sadness in the fine fabric. Shinokiri let a clawed hand comb through Rin's raven locks in order to meagerly comfort her.

"You're destroying my clothes."

Rin quietly sniffed back her tears. Runny-nosed she looked up at the demoness apologetically.

"I'm sorry Shinokiri-hime."

She roughly wiped off her own face with her kimono sleeve. Rin's gaze fell on Shinokiri's clothes as she traced the gray bamboo figures. The demoness could faintly smell blood and looked at the ornament in Rin's hair.

"Did Sesshomaru-sama give you this?" She gently tapped the stone end of the hairpin.

"Mhmm"

"It's lovely."

"I really like it. It reminds of yours."

"It's much nicer than mine was."

 _Was?_ Rin looked up at the demoness' ponytail to see it quite unadorned.

"What happened? Did you lose yours?"

Shinokiri leaned back against a tree and nodded.

"You stabbed someone. Are they alive?"

Rin avoided eye contact, putting her head back into the elder woman's lap. "Yeah, he's fine…he kicked me first." The response was laden with sleep as the girl's eyelids became heavy.

The corner of Shinokiri's lips began to turn upward. "Is that all it is then?"

The silence fell between them as Rin succumbed to sleep.


	17. Rin, A Ring of Victory

Chapter 17

Rin, A Ring of Victory

The girl and the demoness made fast of their time in the morning, heading back to the Kaede's village.

"I am surprised Sesshomaru-sama had not gotten to you first. He's usually quite vigilant."

It truly was a wonder. The lord tended to meet intruders to his borders long before they realized they were even on his land. _It must be those mononoke…the pigs._

There was such a number of them that Rin had made a game out of counting their oversized bodies before she lost track of the numbers. Stranger still, some of them were mummified.

"Why are the bodies like that Shinokiri-hime?"

"Majogumo."

"What?"

The demoness was lost in thought now. This could not possibly offer good prospects. The onibaba was gaining yoki from these corpses. Nothing good could come from this. Shinokiri sniffed the air. The scent wasn't there. _She must be covering her tracks._

"Stay back Ah-Un."

The demoness approached the gossamer covered dried carcass with apprehension. She extended her claw far out in front of her to poke it. As soon as it was disturbed, a legion of rodent sized arachnids poured out from every orifice. Both Ah-Un and Rin made a sort of bleat of horror. The dragon flew upwards as to avoid the creeping terrors with such zeal as to almost fall off of her seat.

Shinokiri used her claw to impale one. Crouching down, she shifted her scrutiny from the spider on her claw and the corpse nest. She inspected them both with a grown. It seemed that after the hag drained the corpse of its contents she would expel the excess yoki into offspring, to be hatched in the remains of her meal.

_Idiot._

Sesshomaru knew she was here. It was beyond Shinokiri's powers of deduction to figure out what exactly was clouding his judgment. It seemed so very out of character. This would become a problem.

She knew he was near. His scent. Blood. Yoki. It was all in the air. He was obviously wrapped up into a tempest of blood lust; killing the intruders blindly.

_Such a disturbance._

Shinokiri felt the ground tremble beneath her. From the thicket gigantic boar parts flew; torn and spurting. Not long behind them was the imposing colossus of a white inu.

"Sesshomaru-sama!"

Rin clapped in excitement. It made going back to the village worth it if she could have the opportunity to be with the daiyoukai for even a moment. She directed her two-headed dragon to a landing, as the giant dog's eyes shifted in focus to her and her companions. Mystifyingly his voice roared out at them.

"Shinokiri, you undermine me!"

His eyes bubbled with anger and confusion as Shinokiri nonchalantly shook the spider oni off of her claw.

"I was returning her to your brother's protection."

He made a swipe at her with his paws, slobbering venom down like rain. It was such an uncharacteristic act of anger that she barely managed to move out of the way. She noticed a missing claw.

"You lie!"

"What would be my motive…to steal her?"

"To continue to torment me!"

"You have greater problems than this… Majogumo."

"Silence!"

Sesshomaru chased after Shinokiri's leaping figure with much snarling and gnashing of teeth. The female allowed her true form to take over and the pair became embattled in a tangle of fur and blood. They ruptured the forest with their grappling and biting, slashing at each other's bellies.

Rin was traumatized to the point of Ah-Un having to act on their own accord, flying to a safe distance. She yelled out to the two warring beasts to no avail. The inus were locked by their necks in each other's jaws.

"Sesshomaru-sama! She didn't take me! She's not lying! I'm sorry! I ran away! I'm sorry! Please stop fighting!"

She screamed in an explosion of tears. Sesshomaru's red eyes shifted to her, but the two youkai remained locked in their battle. They bared their teeth down into each other's flesh creating a constant stream of blood running through their fur and matting it. Despite the crying of the small child above them, they seemed intent on ripping one another's throats out.

In a great collapse, the massive jointure of the two bodies fell like a great crumbling structure. Rin urged Ah-Un to their sides as they melted into their humanoid forms. The two were bloody and exhausted: piled on top of each other in a knot of limp limbs.

As Ah-Un touched the ground, Rin leapt to the bloody mess. Confused and fawning, she did not know where to begin with this mess. Shinokiri coughed, embedding her chin in Sesshomaru's chest as a means of lifting her head.

"Are you satisfied my lord?"

"Hn. You should have left this place."

Shinokiri spat out a laugh, turning her attention to the rattled little girl. "It seems we must postpone your return to the village little one." Her head flopped over in a sort of defeat to her condition, and Sesshomaru followed suit.

Frantically, Rin looked around trying to figure out what to do with the two unconscious bodies.

"Girl! What happened?! Is M'lord alive?! What did that terrible woman do?"

Jaken buzzed his way into the scene of dying chaos.

"Master Jaken! They wouldn't stop, they just kept attacking each other!"

The two minuscule beings stood side by side, Ah-Un looking on, resigned to stasis. They had no choice but to stand watch as the two demons healed. Jaken silently shook within himself, clinging to the staff of two heads. He knew that their blood would attract attention. An incapacitated Lord of the Western Lands was a prize target, and it was only a matter of time before something would stumble upon them in this most vulnerable of states.

Making camp, the ramshackle group huddles by a fire, the two taiyoukai were still deep into their recuperative slumber. Struggling onto consciousness, the others followed suit one after the other. Rin was barely still awake when she saw a dark figure shifting over them, causing the sleep to be ripped from her.

The child whipped her head around, shooting up like an arrow to find the source of her startled state. There above her was a sickeningly twisted old hag with long bony groups of extremities popping out from her. She toothlessly smiled down at Shinokiri.

**"** **Sesshomaru-sama, I humbly ask that you spare the sorceress, Majogumo."**

**"** **And why should this Sesshomaru grant his absentee consort such a request?"**

**The pair stood above the onibaba cowering beneath them. The lord had seen it fit to expel those he deemed as inferior beings off of his land. It was his first action as absolute ruler of his territory. An old scavenger of yoki fell right into this category.**

**Shinokiri had planted herself between the youkai lord and the disgusting old witch. She felt some responsibility towards the onibaba. If it were not for this lowly scavenger, she would be disfigured and barren.**

**"** **To settle a debt, my lord."**

**Sesshomaru relinquished the aggressiveness of his stance and nodded at his mate. He would not test the moment. It was a rare occasion in which they were in each other's presence.**

**The old demon smirked up at them. She never would have dreamed that the small ointment she had so casually made would allow for such favor. Especially as it seemed to have been accepted so gracelessly at the time.**

**Majogumo groveled and bowed in a veneer of gratitude. However, she did not take kindly to the idea of her life being at the whim of a young pretender, resting on the glory of his father. As her superiors left her, she made note to be rid of them when she had the chance. She could feel the power of their delicious yoki. It would be hers.**

"Shinokiri-hime…I can smell your power. Now you may truly pa me back."

She craned down as she creakily caressed the younger demoness' face, but snapped back up when she noticed the gaze of a small child.

"Ah, Lord Sesshomaru's human pet."

A gnarled hand shot out towards Rin's face, and the girl fell back jarring the strings of her wrapped koto. The metallic clanging was a call to action, waking Ah-Un and Jaken. Startled, the hag moved backward.

"Diseased wretch! Remove yourself from Lord Seshommaru!"

Jaken commanded a below of fire from the staff of two heads as Ah-Un growled in such a menacing way as to hold off the spider. Hurriedly, Rin unwrapped her instrument and fumbled to position it right.

"Master Jaken! Ah-Un! Stay back!"

Before the warning could sink in she furiously took set on the strings. The blast blew back her two companions but left them largely unscathed…the hag, however…her extremities were blown to bits. She was howling and gurgling as she flailed backward. In the commotion, the two taiyoukai only seemed to flutter their eyelids.

From out of the darkness: each crevice of the forest and the old witch let loose a black carpet of spiders. Jaken, now somewhat recovered unleashed the fury of his staff on the encroaching legion to the east and Ah-Un tackled the west. Their efforts allowed for the group to not be completely encircled, allowing Rin to climb on top of the mound of the two demons she was protecting.

_If I'm touching them, then they can't get hurt._

She reminded herself of Shinokiri's advice to her as she focused her energies on the center of the attacking arachnids, specifically the wretched witch. The three ate through the horde but to their chagrin, the sorceress's expanse of yoki kept the army of spider replenished.

"Rin! You must awaken Lord Sesshomaru! Only his superior power could defeat this!"

Rin's chest tightened as she tried to think of a way to get at least one of the demons under her to wake up. It was a mystery already as to how they could still be unconscious in all of this commotion. All at once it came to her, quickly she raised one hand to her hair, keeping the other frantically strumming the strings. Reaching back, she pulled her hairpin out and thrust it blindly into one of the bodies beneath her.

With a great and thunderous growl, Sesshomaru shot up, back into the world, now aware that he was in the center of an attack. Rin fell down, tumbling onto a now stirring Shinokiri.

Enraged, Sesshomaru drew Bakusaiga and slashed at the army like a mere nuisance. The shockwave spread through the collective yoki of Majogumo and her offspring—obliterating them all. It seemed all so simple.

"M'lord! You have saved us."

Jaken collapsed with Ah-Un in elated exhaustion.

Shinokiri propped herself up with strain, "Sesshomaru-sama, I tried to warn you…your trail of dead hog demons…she was feeding off of their residual yoki."

"Hn,"

She continued, "If you had not been so foolish, then perhaps she would not have been so embolden as to attack us in this—"

"This Sesshomaru recalls that it was you who entreated me to allow her to stay."

The tension was now tactile and mounting, and Rin felt as if she would burst.

"Please! Stop fighting!"

Rin's face was wet and streaked with tears, her voice hoarse. She was so tired. The child shook her sorrow into Shinokiri's embrace, which caused an empty feeling to bubble inside Sesshomaru. He looked down to the source of a mild stinging in his leg to see a gold and jadeite ornament embedded deep within his thigh. Pulling it out, he wiped the blood off and gently placed it back in Rin's hair, leaving his hand there. He stroked her tresses gently as the fabric of his sleeve ruffled the fabric of Shinokiri's.

"When I gifted this to you, I had not expected you to use it in such a manner."

Rin's head popped up and flashed a bright smile up at her protector. Leaping from one embrace to the other, she wrapped her arms around the stoic demon lord.

"I'm sorry Lord Sesshomaru. This is all my fault….I should have stayed in the village."

She sniffled a bit, "I was selfish. I wanted to be with you. I wanted to be useful…but I'm not."

Shinokiri cooed at the child.

"Silly girl, we have you to owe our lives to."

Upon hearing Shinokiri's words, Rin looked up at Lord Sesshomaru.

"Really?"

"Hn." He followed up with a swift nod. The group would huddle close that night, no one really resting, still alert from all that had happened.


	18. The Process of Closure

 

Chapter 18

The Process of Closure

"What the hell happened here? You all look like shit."

Inuyasha had finally caught up with them. It was hard for him to wrap his head around what he saw before him. The tattered and bloody group huddled together in an oblong form, surrounded by all manner of miscellaneous flesh.

By this time Rin was thoroughly departed from the world outside of her dreams. She was completely wiped out in Shinokiri's arms.

"Inuyasha, the child has expressed remorse for whatever she has done."

The demoness extended her hands outward to hand over the child.

"Really? That's it. She's sorry? You have no idea what type of shit she stirred!"

"Inuyasha."

Sesshomaru's voice interrupted the exchange, "Deal with it however you must, but be assured that it will not be repeated."

"Feh."

Inuyasha grumpily took the child from Shinokiri's arms before readjusting to a gentler approach, resting her against his chest.

"Shinokiri. You done spazzing out yet?"

"I am so grateful for your concern, Inuyasha."

She weakly smiled at him. She looked down at the sleeping Rin before giving Inuyasha's shoulder an affectionate squeeze and backing away.

"So none of you are gonna let me in on what the fuck went on here."

"It's not important little brother."

Sesshomaru, in dismissal, turned his attentions to the sleeping imp at his feet. With a hearty thud, Jaken was kicked out of his slumber.

"M'lord!"

"See to it that Rin's belongings reach the village. Take Ah-Un."

"Yes, Milord! Of course!"

Inuyasha ground down on his teeth. Nothing was ever straightforward with these people. There was never an explanation for things. "Whatever." With that, he dashed off as Jaken bumbled to pack Ah-Un and followed suit.

Leaping across the landscape, the hanyou looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms, "You're lucky you're so cute kid, because you're a real pest."

The couple waited until they were completely alone to turn to one another.

"Why did you remain in this Sesshomaru's lands?"

"The pigs…I was curious. You seem to be making quite a mess of things."

Sesshomaru sniffed in annoyance. "I am handling it."

"Is that why Majogumo became so powerful?"

"Obviously, she was not a problem for my Bakusaiga. It was you who insisted she stayed on these lands."

At this Shinokiri felt faint. Swooning, before she could process what was happening she was in her mate's arms. However, the act in itself caused the pair to collapse to the ground.

"We are still weak from our duel."

Sesshomaru nodded in response to the demoness' remark. He was on top of her now and she had full view of his punctured and bruised neck. It was grotesque. She imagined that her own must mirror it. They both stank of battle. It was severely off-putting.

He shifted his weight off of her and sat up, propping himself on the palm of his hands. Shinokiri copied this action of sitting up, but used his shoulder as a prop to get back to her feet. Looking back at him she said, "We should bathe."

They both limped off toward a nearby hot spring. The silence was pregnant and sickly. As they reached, Shinokiri wordlessly removed her mate's armor. The motion was automatic and thoughtless. Finishing, they separately removed the rest of their clothes and entered the spring together.

Shinokiri dunked her head in and felt the grime slip off of her. Rising again, she looked toward the distant taiyoukai. He seemed distracted by so many things.

"Your intruders. A gentler approach is needed."

"Hn."

"Spring is still far off, their own lands must be stripped and so they are desperate. I would advise diplomacy."

"How does that benefit this Sesshomaru?"

"I would see to it that it does."

Sesshomaru turned to her, tilting his head in query. Swimming closer to her, he narrowed his eyes and looked as if he meant to see inside of her.

"You? Does that mean you have relinquished your irrationality? Will you return to my side?"

"I have found no other calling for myself outside of the benefit of these lands, but you? You I have not decided on."

"Why?"

"When I tried to warn you of the sorceress, you would not listen. We no longer trust each other."

Sesshomaru scoffed.

"How can I trust you when you have given me no end of complications upon your return? Your actions make no sense. You have given no means of trusting your rationale."

The female looked at him incredulously and could not help but to roll her eyes.

"Do you deny your actions? Was the belly of the serpent so much of an improvement to me?"

Sesshomaru's cool façade was cracking. Both of them, really. Shinokiri's shoulders tensed. Her eyebrows twitched and she felt the heat rise to her face.

"You only know how to take from me. It's my fault."

Her voice was hoarse and began to crack. Sesshomaru swayed his head in a show of confusion.

"The old spider. She is the reason I can still hope to whelp a pup. It was only by her almost destroyed my womanhood, because you made a mistake, and I said nothing. I fixed it. I continued to bed you though it ate into me. I felt so hollow."

Her nose flared as she spoke with strain. She was still attempting to restrain her emotions.

"From Kogane's belly I heard everything. I heard that you changed. You were softer…but it still ate at me. You never made amends to me. It never even crossed your mind. For all the compassion you spread around, it never even occurred to you that you had wronged me."

The surface of the water seemed to vibrate with the female's words. It was clear that her words dripped with bitterness. Sesshomaru took a moment to absorb it all with a low tortured growl.

"I see."

He reached out his hand to brush a strand of hair from her eyes but she whipped back, rejecting his touch.

"This was not something I imagined that you would require."

They softened their gaze at each other.

"You are the only case in which it would matter."

They were quite close now. Sesshomaru renewed his attempt to touch her, this time tracing the dark and tattered flesh of her neck. She admitted this, wincing when he made contact. His hand rested on her collarbone, stroking it gently with his thumb.

"You have made me aware of my error. You have my apology."

Shinokiri bowed her head in acceptance. Such a feeling of warmth spread throughout her. This was all she wanted. She let the air out of her body, suddenly feeling quite light. She moved in closer, bowing her head to his shoulder and embracing him. She wrapped herself in his scent as he slowly returned her touch by stroking her back gently.

Her breasts pressed against him were a delightful change to how things between them had been as of late. He luxuriated in the feeling, pleasantly being surprised by her tongue lapping at his neck. Sesshomaru gave a contented moan. He knew this was her trying to speed the healing process of his wounds, but he felt encouraged. A low rumble spread through Sesshomaru's chest, startling Shinokiri, as he nibbled gently on a pointed ear.

"No, I am not ready for that, my lord."

"But you are also aroused."

It was matter-of-fact. He knew. She raised her head and exposed her neck to him and he reciprocated in healing her wounds. Sucking at her neck, he slid his hands downward and groped her greedily.

"No."

"A century is too long, Shinokiri."

Sweetly and gently she cupped the demon lord's face in her hands and chastely kissed the crescent moon on his forehead. She retracted and sighed tenderly, only to be swiftly drawn back to him. Ravenously, he took his mouth to her own in a passionate kiss, but she balked as he tried to deepen it. She pulled away from his embrace, exiting the spring.

"It will be my reward when I return in victory."

She said this quite proudly, quite sure of herself. From the spring, Sesshomaru leered at the dressing figure of his mate. He felt as if he might crumble from desire.

"I command you to make quick work of it then."

Now fully clothed, Shinokiri made a grand bow to her mate, sustaining eye contact. "You have my word," she smirked.

"This Sesshomaru knew you would surrender eventually."

"Of course, you did, my lord."

Their eyes laughed at each other, sparkling and lively.

"In anticipation, I arranged a gift for you."

"A gift?"

It was an odd position, Sesshomaru, still in the spring, was looking up at her, but he had laid hands on the power of the situation despite is more submissive placement.

"Before you leave, pay visit to Bokuseno. There you will also find Totosai."

"Ah. I am humbled by this consideration, my lord. I give you my gratitude in advance."

He nodded in turn, as she rested her focus on his discarded mokomoko-sama in the pile of his garments. She took the boa in her hands and stood erect again, wrapping it around her with a flourish.

"Do not find me until this is returned to you."

The water splashed in the demon lord's frustration as his mate sped off. She has done it in spite. Nonetheless, he would heed her words. Leaning backward to submerge himself in the water, he could feel a fluttering about within him.

Shinokiri made her way across the stately expanse of the territory to Bokuseno. Facing the great and ancient magnolia, she lay prostrate in respect to Inu no Taisho and her mate's wisest and most august adviser. There beside him was Totosai, the master swordsmith. He hovered off of the ground on his three-eyed companion, Mo-Mo.

"Welcome! I have awaited your arrival...I have been expecting you Shinokiri-hime."

The old wooden face greeted her.

"Bout time! I've been here forever!"

Totosai's eyes seemed to bulge out further than normal as he said this. He viciously dug into his own ear with the nail of his little finger.

"My sincerest apologies. Lord Sesshomaru only just informed me to seek you out."

As she said this she rose from her position on the ground to her full height, adjusting her mate's boa from falling off of her shoulders. Totosai dramatically produced a golden hairpin from his sleeve and used it scratch the bald spot on his head. It looked remarkably similar to Rin's though the stone was white jade to Rin's green jadeite. The ornament pulsed with yoki.

"It was a strange request. I rarely work in this medium."

Totosai tossed the pin and it gracefully landed laterally in Shinokiri's hand. She inspected it, pulling on the jade to reveal a new naginata. From the gold sheath, an enormous wooden staff poured. The stone, not proportionately bigger, rested at one end, while a fearsome blade was at the other. She could feel it ooze power.

"The staff…Bokuseno?"

"Yes, my lady, it was crafted from my boughs."

She bowed at him, still adjusting to the weight in her hand. Performing kata she swung the lance with precision. She was satisfied with the instrument, as it was a work of supreme quality. That much was certain.

"The balance is superb Master Totosai…"

She paused and remembered the recent battle she had with her mate. His paw.

"Am I to assume the blade was forged from my lord's claw?"

The old blacksmith made a grunt of affirmation. "It was an absolute pain to work with, and Sesshomaru wasn't exactly polite with his request." The old demon croaked as he suggestively rubbed his back to signify damage.

"I am most honored by this gift. Never have I owned a finer object."

She bowed deeply to Totosai and gave a final nod to Bokuseno. Sheathing the naginata, she firmly stuck the pin at the base of her ponytail. In this moment, she felt truly settled, for the first time in her life. She could now be confident that the past would not saddle itself on her back. She could let it all go now. This was a bright and prosperous new beginning. Spinning on her heel, she bounced, light of foot, off into the horizon. She would now find her way to the land in which the swine horde made berth.

"Such a nice young lady."

Bokuseno breathed. The three creatures watched her rush off with a glazed attention. Totosai nodded in agreement. "That grump, Sesshomaru doesn't deserve her," the old forge finished.


	19. And So It Comes Together

Chapter 19

And So It Comes Together

_Love…_

Shinokiri could still smell her mate on his boa. The movement of air caused by her rapid progression through the landscape continuously wafted Sesshomaru's scent into her nostrils. In this quiet time, she contemplated Inuyasha and his love for a singular soul across bodies and time. He was so devoted to that one soul. Had she been there, would he have gotten the opportunity to grow fond of a mortal.

It was an interesting thought. Would she have persuaded him against it? Could she have? It was the cause of so much of his suffering. A suffering that despite being leading to his happiness eventually, was deeply regrettable to her. Embarrassing, even. Especially his being bound to Goshinboku for fifty years. She should have been there. In this, she saw a fundamental flaw with Inu no Taisho and his infernal need to school Sesshomaru beyond the grave.

_Where would we all be now?_

Perhaps, it was a futile exercise. She believed that it had never been about her protecting that koto. The purpose was for her to be out of the picture for sake of some sort of enrichment of Sesshomaru's character. Inu no Taisho was cruel in that way, yet it had all seemed to be for the better. No one changed, fundamentally, but adjustments were made. Shinokiri supposed that that was enough. Adjustments had been made. What more could one ask for?

_Love…_

Would she desire Sesshomaru as much if he were not the son of Inu no Taisho? She felt she could not answer her own question. It was a difficult subject for her to broach even in her own mind. Was it not the amalgamation of his life as Inu no Taisho's son…his experiences…his genetics that made him who he was? It could not be boiled down to just an essence—could it? How could you just want someone for their soul? She did know that after a century, she craved her mate more than ever. Shinokiri concluded that it was up to circumstance rather than destiny.

Regardless, it was clear that she wanted him and he wanted her. They now each knew that their companionship mattered, in a very real, practical sense. Their union brought balance. That was enough. It was only down to them accepting that they both, essentially, wanted the same thing.

Smelling the stench of swine, Shinokiri stopped in her tracks. She would not stand and wait. It was invigorating. Her new weapon thirsted for blood.

_Totosai had not given it a name._

It would surely earn a name today.

The earth rumbled. There was a stampede coming. Snarling and snaggletoothed, each gigantic hog was uglier than the next. Sows and boars, all came, all drawn by the imposing aura of her yoki.

"How dare you intrude on my lands! You have come too far inu bitch. Turn back while I, Lord Inoshishi, still allow it."

The largest and ugliest proclaimed his great thinly veiled threat, spewing saliva at her. Shinokiri deduced that this was the leader. The only one with a humanoid form. He was the most powerful and, amusingly enough, the most frightened. His breathing was erratic and filled with violent energy.

"If borders are so important to you, it should be deeply upsetting for you to find out that your underlings have violated the borders you share with Lord Sesshomaru."

She looked around. They all looked weak. The land looked barren and burnt. A wildfire. Her guess had been close, they had no resources and were desperate.

"And what will you do about it?"

The swine leader grunted at her trying his best to put on a brave face.

"I, Lady Shinokiri, will annex these lands on behalf of my mate, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands," she made no effort to conceal that she was mocking him.

There was an uproar. Shinokiri grabbed the jade end of her new weapon, unsheathing it from its gold scabbard. It pulsed at the ready. _What is your name?_ The blade glowed a pale green. _Sesshomaru's claw._

"Yuudokuha."

She whispered this to herself as an indignant hog charged at her. With an effortless twitch of her shoulders she swiped as she side stepped the beast. Inoshishi let loose a full and satiated laugh that seemed deep from within his bowels. The attacking pig had skid into a turn to as it went at her again, bleeding only from a very shallow flesh wound. Not even paying attention to him, Shinokiri swiped at two more hops racing toward her.

She was surrounded now. Yet, though their numbers were great, they had little stamina left. By the looks of the horde, they were drawing energy from their bones. They could not have been a well fed one among them.

"You insult me with your meager effort!" The pig ruler's chortling was put to a stop when the initial attacker keeled over mid-charge. The other two followed and in shock the horde backed away from the inu demoness.

"You poisoned them!"

"Inoshishi-sama."

Shinokiri lowered herself to one knee.

"I have no desire to slaughter your tribe. Your land will be absorbed and your subjects will reap the benefit of the resources they've been so egregiously stealing from my lord. They will survive…you will survive. You may keep day-to-day control over them if you only pledge yourself to Lord Sesshomaru, and pay him homage once your land has recovered."

The soil would be very fertile in another two seasons. She knew this. The land was valuable, and it would be Sesshomaru's. She sheathed her naginata.

"Do you accept?"

"You mean to disgrace me."

"Look at them, they are starving."

They were. Most of the tribe was emaciated and too weak to even put on a brave face. She continued her case, "It is a small price to pay for the damage you have done already."

"Was it your lord that gave you that?"

The alpha pointed to her still quite bruised neck.

"Do not worry, he is a fair master.'

Inoshishi's body seemed to collapse within itself. Dejected he gave her a steady low bow.

"I accept."

Standing up, she puffed out her shoulders and unwrapped the boa from her body.

"Who is your swiftest subject?"

"Jinsoku," the great boar called out and a young boar stepped forward. Shinokiri wrapped the boa around Jinsoku, and it coiled itself tightly around his body. He trembled nervously.

"Find Lord Sesshomaru and tell him what happened here. Be quick or it will constrict you."

Jinsoku could feel it tighten and with intense purpose, he raced off into the Western Lands to find the demon lord. As she left she called back to the pig lord, "Maintain your honor swine or your entire pack will be exterminated."

Sesshomaru supposed that his father meant to remove a crutch from his life. Without Shinokiri, he would eventually be forced to learn how to be a well-rounded leader. Was her absence a gift then? Perhaps.

It was clear that he did still needed her, though. His inclinations always lied in absent-minded destruction, should it suit his fancy. His superiority as a warrior was balanced out by her level-headedness. Yet, she was aimless without a cause or a leader, having no desire to conquest on her own behalf like he did. Between the both of them, one could find a sort of balance.

Still, it shamed him that he was remiss in her needs. _Heirs._ His personal aversion to them almost came at great personal cost to Shinokiri. Though, unlike his father, he didn't jeopardize his life with pointless campaigns of goodwill…he still was rash in his actions…jeopardizing the lives and happiness of others.

_Happiness…_

It never occurred to him that she would have need of it. These were lessons he learnt with Rin…but Shinokiri? Did he need to give a fearsome demoness the same considerations as a human child?

Perhaps, it was that he ignored the elastic limit to her hardiness as an emotional being. She was a separate entity from himself that required different things—things that he'd need to provide should he wish to benefit from her loyalty.

Before, he imagined, she had no concept of him being able to provide such considerations to any living being. To come back into a world in which he had seemingly been handing out compassion to strangers must have been infuriating. _If only she had rebelled earlier…_

He supposed he had accomplished a respectable level of power thus far. It would not be an inconvenience to have her whelp progeny. Rin was burgeoning into womanhood at an ever quickening pace. He believed he could spare himself again in such a way to his own blood.

This act would restore Shinokiri's faith in him. He had decided this long ago—when she had first run off. However, at the time, it was a desperate measure. Now, he felt within himself a certain peace at the thought of her mothering his offspring. It seemed like the right thing to do.

Sesshomaru's thoughts were interrupted by and approaching pig oni. He faced towards the racing beast, readying his stance to quickly dispose of the creature. On closer inspection, he saw his boa coiled around its waist, visibly tightening, the loose ends flailing in the wind.

"You have a message for me."

Terribly pained and out of breath, Jinsoku halted and collapsed to the ground, fighting for air. Mokomoko-sama loosened and set free the pitiful oni from its grip, and flopped next to it. Taking his boa in hand, the demon lord commenced his pilgrimage to Shinokiri, searching for her scent in the air.

Pleased with her work, Shinokiri returned to Sesshomaru's lands with haste. At the edge of the forest, she was greeted by a lone Jaken returning from Kaede's village.

"Lady Shinokiri!"

"Imp. You will burn the bodies of the pig oni."

"But, Lord Sess—"

"What I say is his will? Is that clear Jaken?"

"Yes, M'lady"

Affrightedly, he scurried off to complete his task with no more questions. In the clearing, she made her way to the ground and sat in wait. She would not go to him like a puppy looking for approval. He would come to her. He would seek her out to thank her. That is what would give her pleasure.

Contentedly, she leaned into the warmth of the sun. She could smell his approach already. She adjusted herself so that she could get an eye on him. She could make out the red on his sleeves. Her heart quickened as he got closer and closer, even her ponytail seemed to swing in anticipation. His boa had taken its place back on his shoulder. He was grinning as he stopped right in front of his mate. His brow had a curios arch.

"Why did you not just kill them all?"

"They are indebted to you now for your kindness. Allies are an important asset."

"Have you named your gift?"

"Yuudokuha."

"Are you pleased?"

"Very."

He lowered himself to her level and sat down beside her. "How long will I have to support them?"

"Their land will return in bounty by harvest. It is a decently sized territory."

"Thank you."

Shinokiri's mouth opened in amusement. "What a foreign phrase."

Sesshomaru reached out a clawed hand to stroke her cheek, running his fingers along the markings on her face. It was such a warm gesture, despite the iciness of the rest of his demeanor. It was such a strange turn they took just to get to this point—like children with temper tantrums.

"Are you impressed by such things, Shinokiri?"

"Absolutely."

Sesshomaru wrapped her up in his embrace and they tumbled flat to the earth. He was half on top of her now. He nuzzled her jawline, causing a sort of purr to rumble in her chest. His delicate hands slipped to her belly. Out of reflex, she winced and squirmed in his embrace. He could see the panic cloud over her face.

Looking down into her eyes he said earnestly, "I'm sorry."

Shinokiri thought she would swoon to death. "Your humility is so becoming." Her eyes were alight as she cooed at him. Growling, he hungrily kissed her and she responded in kind. She bit his bottom lip and he went to fully straddle her.

"Is this where I get my reward."

Sesshomaru wordlessly answered by removing his armor. A century was indeed too long.


	20. To Embrace the Dawn

 

Chapter 20

To Embrace the Dawn

Rin's eyes wrestled to open. She didn't want them to open, but she could feel someone breathing over her. Letting one lid pop up languidly her eye rolled about trying to have the world come into focus. The mass of blurs configured into a simpering Inuyasha, inches from her face.

_Why is he waking me up right now? Is this a nightmare?_

He tapped her head with one knuckle quite animatedly, "Get up princess, you have some damage control to do today!" His voice was purposefully loud and created an insufferable ringing in the little girl's ears. _They must have returned me to the village while I was sleeping._ It was a harsh truth to face in the morning. Rin was back in the real world…the world in which she had used a hair accessory to stab an odorous snot-nosed brat. A world filled with consequences and penance. She was in mental agony.

"You better not take long getting ready!"

Inuyasha called, taunting, as he exited the hut. Rin groaned as she tried to rub the sleep out of her eye. She crawled her way into an upright position, clumsily clutching on to anything her hands could find as her mind desperately attempted to catch up to her body.

Once she had gotten herself dressed and settled, she met Inuyasha outside of Kaede's hut and the two trotted toward the interior of the village. Rin was keeping her steps as upbeat as possible to calm her nerves. Inuyasha was distractedly looking up into the trees with his arms folded in his sleeves.

"Inuyasha-sama?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Shinokiri-hime and Sesshomaru-sama are okay now?"

"Heh, those two? I wouldn't bet on it."

Inuyasha was lost in his trumpet of scoff to recognize that Rin had stopped walking when he turned to look down at nothing. Halting and pivoting to face behind him, he saw Rin a ways back on the path. Her head was down, but he could her body tremble in sadness.

 _It's all my fault._ Rin clenched her fist as her thoughts mangled her ability to move.

Inuyasha stomped up the path to her. He exhaled a heavy breath looking at the disheartened child. He couldn't help but feel bad for Rin. She was a sensitive soul. _Poor kid. She's beating herself up about it._ The hanyou ruffled the little girl's hair vigorously in order to snap her out of it, but to no avail.

He himself wondered about the state of the couple. They both seemed so emotionally pent-up that he had no choice to be pessimistic. Communication wasn't their strong suit. He just hoped they didn't kill each other. Only time would tell…but he knew it would be of no use upsetting his daily routine over the whole thing. It's not like it was any of his business anyway.

"Hey kid, look, don't let their problems mess you up. Maybe if you lead by example they can figure it out…right?"

Rin slowly looked up at Inuyasha and her expression softened before bursting into a beam. "Right!"

"Good. Let's go. I don't want this to take all day. Got it?"

Rin perked up and continued down the path with Inuyasha. Before long, she could see the target hut, but Inuyasha did not slow down.

"Isn't this it Inuyasha-sama?"

"Yup, I ain't stayin' so I can get yelled at because you're a little psychopath. Hurry up, I'll be back soon."

With that, Rin found herself alone in front of the hut's entrance, peeking in the window and bobbing her head about to quietly let her presence be known. The front door slid open violently fast, and a very red-faced woman popped her head out.

"What are you doing here you little savage? Haven't you wreaked enough havoc?! My Hitoshi is lucky to still have his life after your vicious attack!"

Rin had to fight to stifle a laugh. It was hard to tell what was funnier, the hyperbole or the ironic name. Quickly, while she still had her resolve, she knelt to the ground and bowed low.

"I have come to apologize for my rash actions toward your son. It was disgraceful, and I have dishonored my guardians. Please accept my sincerest apologies."

Not having to look up, Rin could sense the woman's fury shift into smug satisfaction.

"Well! I suppose I could let it go…it's not like you could know better, being raised by animals. I'm sure my darling Hitoshi would like to hear this. Stay here…I don't want you to bring filth inside my home."

Still, Rin did not lift her head. If she looked up, then the humiliation would set in, and she needed to get through it before she could allow herself to get upset. She heard heavy footsteps leave and lighter footsteps replacing them in return.

"Well…I want my apology."

It was the voice of the bully she had stabbed with her hair pin. It was, in this moment, infuriating to hear, considering the circumstances. Rin could feel her blood boil, but it passed once she looked up briefly to his arm wrapped up as if was broken…sling and all. _How ridiculous…_

Rin bit down on the insides of her cheeks and muscled through it. "I am so sorry for what I did you, Hitoshi-senpai. It was wrong of me, and I hope to gain your forgiveness if you see it right to give it to me." Rin spat the words out as quickly as possible to get the vile taste of them from out of her mouth.

"Good. I'm going to make sure you really do feel sorry," Hitoshi smiled darkly. He then pressed his foot hard into Rin's bowed head, forcing a whimper out of her. He made sure to position himself so that her hairpin scraped against her scalp as he leaned in with his foot. Rin clenched her fists in order to force herself not to react

"Only cowards hurt people who are smaller than them."

A startled Hitoshi fell back. Now free from the pressure of his foot, Rin's head popped up to see the source of the familiar voice.

"Kohaku!"

Her chest effervesced at the sight of him. She could not be happier to see anyone in that moment. His eyes sparkled at her as he helped her up and dusted her off. Rin giggled as Kirara hopped to her shoulder and nuzzled the crook of her neck. "Are you ok Rin-chan?"

"Yeah, thanks Kohaku-kun!"

Hitoshi cowered in horror up at the giant kusarigama resting on Kohaku's shoulder. "Are you going to hurt me?"

Kohaku sniffed a half laugh, "Didn't I just explain that you?"

Hitoshi's head shook with nodding as he scrambled back into the safety of his hut.

"Oh hey Kohaku! Sango's expecting you!"

Inuyasha called in his approach, waving his arm a bit. "Yeah, I'm on my way there now Inuyasha-san!" Kohaku turned back to Rin as Kirara leapt back on his shoulder, "See you later, Rin-chan!" Rin blushed to herself as Kohaku jogged away in the direction of Sango and Miroku's hut, briefly passing Inuyasha, the too nodded in greeting.

Once he reached Rin, Inuyasha nudged her on the shoulder to urge her into motion. "You done kid?" "Oh, yeah…yes Inuyasha-sama." Snapped out of her mind's idleness she followed Inuyasha back to Kaede's hut.

"How'd it go?"

Rin smiled quietly to herself and blushed thinking back on Kohaku. "It went well."

"What are you so happy about, kid?"

Rin's blush deepened. "Nothing."

The half-breed grimaced in confusion. _Females are so weird. I'll never get it._

The dawn began to erase the stars from the sky. An heir would be made. An heir had been made. Sesshomaru and Shinokiri had taken each other many times, in many ways. Most importantly, Sesshomaru had mounted Shinokiri in their true forms. A joyous threshold had been crossed into an army of little happy deaths.

Now, awake only in a dream-like state, Shinokiri forced herself up in order to dress. She still felt the need to move. Now that it was over, she had to leave to make sure things stayed perfect.

Before she could rise to slip silk on her back she felt her lover's claw softly trace her spine. Her back flexed at the feeling against her bare skin. It echoed the tingling of the dewy grass touching her legs. Cool and delicate. Yet, she felt it menacing.

Sesshomaru could feel her nervousness—not just feel it…it was painfully obvious. Unconsciously, she had coated the ground with fog. It blanketed them; obscuring one lover from the other. Their minds were still cloudy in the newness of the morning.

"Do you not trust me yet?"

"I want to, my lord"

Sesshomaru pulled her back to him with a snaking arm around her waist. She willingly fell back against his warm, firm chest. Her hair was loose and draped Sesshomaru's body, providing a great comfort to him. He silently watched the rise and fall of her breasts—a preferable sight to her ponderous face.

Shinokiri closed her eyes and tried to sync her breathing to her mate's. "Do I ask too much of you…are you sure you want this?"

The demon lord had never wanted to kill this particular demoness more in his entire existence. She had come this far to get what she wanted, putting him through a veritable hell to get to this point. _Why is she balking?_

He would have to reassure her now. This was his role. It was his role, and it would always be a process.

"Yes."

His word was final and true and it hit its mark. Shinokiri turned her body over by her head and placed flower petal of a kiss on Sesshomaru's chest. She leaned her forehead into his heart beat, as her hair cascaded down the side of one shoulder. Sesshomaru lifted his neck with a small sound of struggle and brushed his lips on top of her head.

The fog lifted with the songs of birds in the trees. The earth began to warm. The female sat up, still leaning her hip on the male. Her eyes rested on the still red marks on his neck and she stroked his throat with her thumb ruefully. He briefly mirrored her action before letting his hand fall between her breasts and back to his side.

"We will not be so weak again."

It was possible that Sesshomaru's words would stick. Far more probable that they wouldn't. No matter. His saying the words made all the difference. Shinokiri's eyes glittered with the coming of the sun.

"Your mother will be so pleased."

"Hn."

Sesshomaru turned his head away into the blades of grass and Shinokiri chuckled softly at his reaction. And fell back down. She reveled in the calm, in Sesshomaru's voice, in the whispered flutter of life inside of her.

In this quiet, they both felt full. It was not until this moment that they realized that they never had been whole…not until now. Facing opposite of each other, their back only slightly touching, they had never felt so secure in each other. Their fair skin glowed in the fresh sunlight and all of the warmth felt like that moment, all of that moment felt like the sun. It was hard to leave it.

Sesshomaru shot up with enough speed and force to break the spell. "Get dressed. It is unseemly to be so idle." Following orders, Shinokiri joined him in making herself presentable. They finished side by side, not looking at each other.

"I still have not truly tested the potential of the blade forged from your claw. It undoubtedly has many hidden and extraordinary powers."

"Yes, that is to be expected."

"It is my honor to use it in your name, Sesshomaru-sama."

Shinokiri's tongue savored the taste of each syllable of his name. The sun was in their sightline, and a breeze passed through them allowing the fabric of their sleeves to touch. Shinokiri looked down at his hand, and allowed hers to graze his, and he allowed his fingers to intertwine with hers in return.


End file.
